Thermally Reversible Cross‐Linked Polyamides with High Toughness and Self‐Repairing Ability from Maleimide‐ and Furan‐Functionalized Aromatic Polyamides

Abstract

Abstract Polyamides having various amounts of maleimide (PA‐MI) and furan (PA‐F) pendent groups, respectively, as well as their cross‐linked polymers (PA‐MI/PA‐F) were prepared. PA‐MI/PA‐F cross‐linked polymers showed thermally reversible cross‐linking behavior via Diels‐Alder (DA) and retro‐DA reactions. Cross‐linked PA‐MI/PA‐F films exhibited enhanced toughness and mechanical properties compared to PA‐MI and PA‐F precursors. Moreover, PA‐MI/PA‐F films also showed thermal self‐repairing behavior, which was observed in the micrographs and instron tests. magnified image