Self-healing polyester networks prepared from poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene itaconate) and thiol-terminated polyether containing disulfide linkages

Abstract

Crosslinked polyester films exhibiting disulfide metathesis-driven self-healing were prepared via 1-methylimidazole-mediated thermal thiol-ene reaction of poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene itaconate) (PBSI) and a thiol-terminated polyether (LP-3) containing disulfide linkages at CC/SH ratios of 2/1, 1/1, and 1/2. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and gel fraction measurements of the crosslinked films confirmed the formation of polyester networks via thiol-ene reaction. The 5% weight loss temperature, glass transition temperature, and tensile strength of the crosslinked films increased with increasing PBSI/LP-3 ratio. All crosslinked films exhibited healing properties when hot-pressed at 100 °C for 14–24 h. The PBSI/LP-3 crosslinked films exhibited higher healing efficiencies in terms of tensile strength recovery (up to 94.2% at CC/SH ratio = 1/1) than the crosslinked polyester of PBSI and 2,2’-(ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol without disulfide bonds.