Hard Autonomous Self-Healing Supramolecular Materials—A Contradiction in Terms ?

摘要

Self-healing and self-repair are crucial to the survival of living species. In contrast, the lifetime of synthetic man-made materials is limited by the occurrence of macroscopic damage or microcracks that severely decrease performance, eventually leading to failure. Intrigued by the beauty and efficiency of natural healing processes, scientists have developed a new research area focusing on synthetic self-healing materials aiming to extend their lifetimes, improve safety, and ensure sustainability.