Method of producing a self-healing membrane

1. A method of producing a self-healing membrane of a type for compressed-gastight sealing of a pressurized pneumatic structure having an excess pressure in an order of 10 to 500 mbar, the method comprising:

applying a layer of a polymerizable plastic to an interior side of an envelope, the envelope comprising a gastight membrane, and containing a compressed gas;

polymerizing the layer of polymerizable plastic under pressure, the polymerizing forming a plurality of air or gas bubbles in the layer of polymerizable plastic; and

wherein air or gas bubbles, suspended in the layer of polymerizable plastic, and formed by the polymerizing step, are not removed by a vacuum treatment.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the self-healing membrane is reinforced with a textile fabric and is made gastight by means of a plastic coating.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of microcapsules are added to the layer of polymerizable plastic before the step of polymerizing.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of microcapsules comprise a moisture-curing pre-polymer.

5. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a first plurality of microcapsules comprising a monomer;

a second plurality of microcapsules comprising an accelerator and/or a catalyst; and

wherein a ratio of the first plurality of microcapsules to the second plurality of microcapsules are disposed with the plastic to be polymerized.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein prior to the step of polymerizing, a blister film is applied to the layer of polymerizable plastic, said blister film comprising:

a plurality of small holes disposed on a side facing away from the layer of polymerizable plastic;

a plurality of blisters, comprising:

a first number of blisters comprising a monomer;

a second number of blisters comprising an accelerator and/or a catalyst; and

wherein a ratio of the first number of blisters to the second number of blisters are disposed with the plastic to be polymerized.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein a blister film, comprising a plurality of blisters, is glued or welded to the layer of polymerizable plastic, the blisters having a uniform distance from one another.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of blisters contain a moisture-curing pre-polymer.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the blister film comprises:

a first plurality of blisters containing a first component of a two-component plastic;

a second plurality of blisters containing a second component of the two-component plastic; and

wherein the first plurality of blisters and the second plurality of blisters are arranged alternately on the blister film.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the blister film comprises a first plurality of blisters and a second plurality of blisters disposed on opposite sides of a central film;

the first plurality of blisters comprise a monomer, the second plurality of blisters comprise a second component of a two-component plastic; and

the first and second plurality of blisters are arranged at least partly coincidentally.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first plurality of blisters are elongated and the second plurality of blisters are generally circular.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein, the plurality of blisters are arranged in rows, the rows having variable spacing with respect to each other.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of polymerizing takes place at an excess pressure of approximately 0.4 to approximately 4 bar.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the layer of polymerizable plastic is applied to the membrane in an amount of approximately 5 to approximately 10 g per 100 cm 2 of membrane surface.

15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of storing a coated membrane over a period of approximately 1 to approximately 8 weeks.