TU Delft, Netherlands
Department of Aerospace Structures and Materials


Plenary Talk

Self-healing engineering materials: from the general concept to material class dependent realisations

Man-made engineering materials demonstrate an impressive range of mechanical properties of which strength and toughness are the most important as they determine the resistance to failure and as a consequence determine the effective lifetime of the construction. To this aim material scientist have focused on designing microstructures which minimise the risk of damage formation and even more so obstruct damage propagation. The underlying design principles stem from the ‘damage prevention’ paradigm.

Nature also tries to minimise damage but follows the ‘damage management’ paradigm: It accepts that local damage is unavoidable but can be made harmless by healing reactions. So, now damage will not only grow, as it invariably does in man-made materials, but can also shrink or even disappear.

For about two decades materials scientist have tried to ‘copy’ this healing behaviour of natural materials in a wide range of man-made materials. All approaches be rationalised from our ‘local temporary mobility’ concept, but have to take into account the intrinsic nature of each class of material. In my presentation I will show successful examples of self healing behaviour in polymers, composites, asphalt, metals, ceramics and even concrete.