Thermoreversible Self‐Healing Networks Based on a Tunable Polymethacrylate Crossslinker Having Pendant Maleimide Groups

Abstract

Self‐healable crosslinked networks able to effectively repair physical damages with no needs of extra healing agents have been developed as effective building blocks in constructing high‐performance industrial and biomedical materials. Here, the development of novel polymer‐based crosslinked materials exhibiting thermally induced self‐healability is reported. The new approach centers on the design and synthesis of polymethacrylates having tunable densities of pendant furan‐protected maleimide groups (PMIMA) as multivalent crosslinkers using a controlled polymerization. Upon the loss of furan protecting groups at elevated temperatures, the PMIMA involves covalent crosslinking with polymethacrylates bearing pendant furan groups in reactive blends. The resulting crosslinked networks exhibit greater thermal stability as well as self‐healability through thermo­reversible Diels‐Alder/Retro Diels‐Alder chemistry, offering versatility in surface‐protective coatings. image