Catalyst-lean, microcapsule-based self-healing materials via ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP)

A self-healing composite material comprising:

• a base polymer;
• microcapsules dispersed in the base polymer, wherein the microcapsules are filled with a ring-opening metathesis-active monomer, wherein the ring-opening metathesis-active monomer with which the microcapsules are filled is represented by the following formula:
• wherein R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or an aryl group, and
• wherein R′ is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or an aryl group;
• polymeric particles dispersed in the base polymer, wherein the polymeric particles comprise a polymer having catalytic endgroups derived from an olefin metathesis catalyst, wherein the polymer of the polymeric particles is soluble in the ring-opening metathesis-active monomer with which the microcapsules are filled, wherein the polymer is synthesized via polymerization of at least one ring-opening metathesis-active monomer in the presence of the olefin metathesis catalyst, wherein the olefin metathesis catalyst includes Grubbs' 1st generation catalyst, and wherein the at least one ring-opening metathesis-active monomer is selected from the group consisting of norbornene, ethylidene norbornene, cyclooctadiene, and combinations thereof.

A self-healing composite material comprising:

• a base polymer;
• microcapsules dispersed in the base polymer, wherein the microcapsules are filled with a ring-opening metathesis-active monomer, wherein the ring-opening metathesis-active monomer with which the microcapsules are filled is selected from the group consisting of norbornene, norbornene derivatives, cyclooctadiene, and combinations thereof, and wherein the norbornene derivatives are represented by the following formula:
• wherein R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or an aryl group, and
• wherein R′ is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or an aryl group;
• polymeric particles dispersed in the base polymer, wherein the polymeric particles comprise a polymer having catalytic endgroups derived from an olefin metathesis catalyst, wherein the polymer of the polymeric particles is soluble in the ring-opening metathesis-active monomer with which the microcapsules are filled, and wherein the polymer of the polymeric particles is represented by the following formula:
• wherein Ph is a phenyl group, and wherein Cy is a cyclohexyl group.