Block copolymers offer the chance to tune the properties of polymeric materials. In particular for self-healing materials, block copolymers are very promising candidates featuring a combination of good mechanical performance and self-healing ability. However, the synthesis of these polymers is rather challenging since different functional groups have to be introduced within the block copolymer design. For this purpose, the RAFT-polymerization, as a possibility to control the polymeric structure, was utilized in order to synthesis a variety of ligand containing block copolymers in a controlled fashion. As hard segment polystyrene was applied, whereas the soft block was synthesized out of butyl acrylate and the ligand moiety (<i>i.e</i>. terpyridine). The subsequent crosslinking with different metal salts resulted in metallopolymers featuring self-healing properties. Furthermore, a phase-separation behavior was obsevered, which further enhance the self-healing process, which could be monitored using optical analysis. Finally, the mechanical properties of the films could investigated using nanoindentation and revealed a polymeric material with excellent mechanical behavior and self-healing ability.

RAFT-polymerization for the design of self-healing block polymers

254th National Meeting (2017)

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