Tailored modular assembly derived self-healing polythioureas with largely tunable properties covering plastics, elastomers and fibers

Abstract

Intrinsic self-healing polymers attract increasing attention but often suffer from a narrow self-healing temperature range and unsatisfactory mechanical performance. Here, the authors use click chemistry to develop a library of catalyst-free reversible polythioureas and demonstrate that the self-healing temperature and mechanical properties can be adjusted by controlling the flexibility and the steric environment.