Self-healing polymers

1. A composite material, comprising:

a polymer matrix;

a polymerizer phase comprising a polymerizer; and

a plurality of capsules comprising a corresponding activator for the polymerizer;

where the polymerizer phase is phase separated from the polymer matrix,

the capsules are separate from the polymerizer phase,

the capsules isolate the corresponding activator from the polymerizer until a crack in the composite material intersects at least a portion of the capsules and at least a portion of the polymerizer phase, and

the corresponding activator is a catalyst comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of lead, tin, zirconium, antimony, iron, cadmium, calcium, barium, manganese, bismuth and titanium.

2. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polymerizer comprises at least one functionalized siloxane.

3. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises a tin salt.

4. The composite material of claim 3 , wherein the tin salt is a salt of a carboxylic acid.

5. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyethers, epoxy polymers, epoxy vinyl ester polymers, polyimides, phenol-formaldehyde polymers, amine-formaldehyde polymers, polysulfones, poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), polyurethanes, polyolefins, polyacrylates, poly(alkylacrylates) and polysilanes.

6. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises an epoxy vinyl ester polymer.

7. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the capsules are hollow.

8. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the capsules are particles.

9. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the capsules have an aspect ratio of 1:1 to 1:2, and an average diameter of 10 nm to 1 mm.

10. A method of making the composite material of claim 1 , comprising:

dispersing the polymerizer and the capsules into the polymer matrix.

11. A composite material, comprising:

a polymer matrix;

an adhesion promoter;

a polymerizer phase comprising a polymerizer; and

a plurality of capsules comprising a corresponding activator for the polymerizer;

where the polymerizer phase is phase separated from the polymer matrix,

the capsules are separate from the polymerizer phase,

the capsules isolate the corresponding activator from the polymerizer until a crack in the composite material intersects at least a portion of the capsules and at least a portion of the polymerizer phase, and

the polymerizer comprises a mixture of hydroxyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HOPDMS) and polydiethoxysiloxane (PDES).

12. A method of making the composite material of claim 11 , comprising:

combining the polymer matrix and the adhesion promoter; and

dispersing the polymerizer and the capsules into the polymer matrix;

wherein the polymerizer is phase separated from the polymer matrix in the composite material.

13. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding activator comprises a catalyst selected from the group consisting of amines and metal salts.

14. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding activator comprises a metal salt of a carboxylic acid.

15. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding activator comprises a tin salt.

16. The composite material of claim 15 , wherein the tin salt is a salt of a carboxylic acid.

17. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the adhesion promoter is a silane coupling agent comprising at least one unsaturated group and at least one alkoxy group.

18. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the adhesion promoter is a silane coupling agent selected from the group consisting of (3-acryloxpropyl)-trimethoxysilane, (3-acryloxpropyl)methyldimethoxysilane, methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, and methacryloxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane.

19. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyethers, epoxy polymers, epoxy vinyl ester polymers, polyimides, phenol-formaldehyde polymers, amine-formaldehyde polymers, polysulfones, poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), polyurethanes, polyolefins, polyacrylates, poly(alkylacrylates) and polysilanes.

20. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises an epoxy vinyl ester polymer.

21. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the capsules are hollow.

22. The composite material of claim 11 , wherein the capsules are particles.

23. A composite material, comprising:

a polymer matrix;

a polymerizer phase comprising a polymerizer; and

a plurality of capsules comprising a corresponding activator for the polymerizer;

where the polymerizer phase is phase separated from the polymer matrix,

the capsules are separate from the polymerizer phase,

the capsules isolate the corresponding activator from the polymerizer until a crack in the composite material intersects at least a portion of the capsules and at least a portion of the polymerizer phase, and

the polymer matrix comprises an epoxy vinyl ester polymer.

24. The composite material of claim 23 , wherein the polymerizer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of acrylates, alkylacrylates, styrenes, isoprene, butadiene, olefins, cyclic olefins, vinyl ethers, epoxides, lactones, lactams, and functionalized siloxanes.

25. The composite material of claim 23 , wherein the polymerizer comprises at least one functionalized siloxane.

26. The composite material of claim 23 , wherein the corresponding activator is a catalyst.

27. The composite material of claim 26 , wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of ROMP catalysts, cyclic ester polymerization catalysts, amines, and metal salts.

28. The composite material of claim 23 , wherein the capsules have an aspect ratio of 1:1 to 1:2, and an average diameter of 10 nm to 1 mm.