Objetive. Generate a self-healing material
Our client asked us to develop a self-healing polymer that would repair itself for aesthetic parts that were easily damaged. These pieces were also especially visible and were in direct contact with the end user.
The initial polymer should not change aesthetically by modifying the properties of the polymer and the effect should be lasting over time. In this case the change needed to be reversible.
Solution. Additives to achieve self-healing properties
The solution that we proposed and developed is based on very special additives. We studied other techniques, such as IML (in mold labeling), or capsules, but taking into account all the requirements of the project, we opted for the additive option as it offered greater flexibility and fewer aesthetic changes.
In this case, the additive we selected was repaired thanks to intrinsic heat. We carried out different tests with various temperatures and times to verify that the repair was complete.
During the tests we were able to verify that the effect was reversible, and that unlike the use of capsules, whose effect is exhausted when the capsules are used up, with our additive the self-healing or self-repair effect could be achieved continuously.
This project is in the client’s internal phase once the additive has been developed and optimized by ATRIA with very promising results in the prototype tests.