Microcapsules Containing Self-Healing Agent with Red Dye

Abstract

Microcapsules of two different self-healing agents, 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB) and ENB with a crosslinker, surrounded by a melamine-urea-formaldehyde shell were manufactured. In this work, a red dye was incorporated into the self-healing agents as a tracer for better visual observations. It revealed that the incorporation of a red dye into self-healing agents did not disturb the formation of microcapsules from the examination of thermal resistance, particle size/size distribution and morphology of the resulting microcapsules. Releasing of self-healing liquid into the induced crack from ruptured microcapsules and filling between crack planes were observed using an optical microscope. Also observed was the reaction of filled healing agent with embedded Grubbs' catalyst in an epoxy coating layer.