High voltage and self-healing zwitterionic double-network hydrogels as electrolyte for zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitor/battery

The hydrogel electrolyte is an important part of safety and development potential in zinc-based energy storage equipment due to its inherent low mechanical strength and voltage decomposition. However, hydrogel electrolytes possess a reduced working life for zinc dendrites growth and a narrow voltage window. In this study, a hydrogel electrolyte prepares by the zwitterionic monomer [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) (MS) and sodium alginate (SA) alleviate these problems. The zwitterionic double-network hydrogel has good mechanical strength, inhibits the growth of zinc dendrites, enhances practicability, greatly increases the voltage window (0–2.4 V), and has self-healing properties to its rich functional groups. The assembled zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSs) have a high-power density of 172.33 W kg^?1 and an energy density of 88.56 Wh·kg^?1 at 0.5 A g^?1. The assembled zinc-ion battery also has good electrochemical performance. Flexible ZHSs and batteries provide power to the timer stably under different bending angles. The zwitterionic double-network hydrogel can be applied to both zinc-based supercapacitors and batteries.     

Multifunctional cementitious composites with integrated self-sensing and self-healing capacities using carbon black and slaked lime

This study aims to develop multifunctionality of cementitious composites with the integrated self-sensing and self-healing capacities by incorporating conductive carbon black (CB) with CB-encapsulated slaked lime (SL). The microsized SL particles were premixed with a half of designed content of nanosized CB particles. When CB agglomerations coat around the SL surfaces, SL does not hydrate until the CB coating is removed. Another half of designed weight of CB is uniformly dispersed using ultrasonication with superplasticizer and added to obtain piezoresistivity. The results show that the stress sensing capacity of CB-SL-cementitious composite performs well with the compressive stress. Autogenous healing performances presented significantly can improve the self-healing capacity with the increase of SL. Furthermore, the healing efficiency is affected by the crack width and dispersion of SL, and the smaller cracks with SL are more easily healed. The size of CB agglomerations decreases with the added SL, and the main product of self-healing is calcium carbonate.     

The toughening design of multi-layer antioxidation coating on C/C matrix via SiC-SiCw transition layer grown in-situ

Poor antioxidant and thermal-shock capacities of C/C composites thermal barrier coating (TBC) caused by cracking and shedding of coatings has been a major obstacle blocking the development of C/C composites. Herein, in-situ growth of whisker reinforced silicon carbide transition layer and inter-embedding mechanism of multi-gradient coatings were brought into the design of TBC to enhance the antioxidant and thermal-shock capacities. A three-layer gradient coating SiC-SiC_w/ZrB₂-SiC/ZrSiO₄-aluminosilicate glass (ZAG) from inside to outside, in which ZrB₂-SiC/ZAG serve as oxygen barrier layers with self-healing ability and SiC-SiC_w provides thermal stress buffering and bonding against cracking and shedding of coatings, is designed. The ZAG mainly forms a dense oxygen blocking frontier with self-healing ability through fluidized glass, while the ZrB₂-SiC can react actively with infiltrated oxygen in a way of self-sacrifice, preventing oxygen erosion to C/C matrix and SiC-SiC_w transition layer. As a result, the collaborative work among layers endows this coating with excellent high temperature service performance. This work provides a new insight for the design of excellent TBC.     

Microstructure assessment of suspension plasma spraying coatings from multicomponent submicronic Y-TZP/Al2O3/SiC particles

In this research, Suspension Plasma Spraying (SPS) technique was used for the thermal deposition of a multicomponent mixture made up of an Y-TZP/Al₂O₃ matrix with SiC particles. Two suspensions of Y-TZP and Al₂O₃ with different SiC particles content (6?wt% and 12?wt%) were tested as feedstocks in the SPS process. Three stand-off distances were varied in order to assess coating microstructure and evaluate the presence of SiC in the final coatings. Coatings were characterised in terms of porosity, microstructure and phase distribution. The estimate of the amount of SiC in the coating was carried out by XRD technique.Findings showed typical cauliflower-like SPS microstructure which intensifies with stand-off distance. Coatings porosity varied significantly between 8% and 25% whereas minimum porosity was found for the intermedium stand-off distance of 40?mm.Microstructure analysis also revealed the presence of SiC particles in the coatings which was confirmed by EDX analysis, overall XRD tests as well as TG analysis. Finally, evaluation of SiC content in the final coatings by means of XRD analysis showed that most of SiC particles (c.a 80%) of the feedstocks were preserved in the final coatings.     

Aqueous suspension processing of multicomponent submicronic Y-TZP/Al2O3/SiC particles for suspension plasma spraying

In order to obtain thermal barrier coatings by Suspension Plasma Spraying (SPS) process with potential new self-healing ability multicomponent submicronic Y-TZP/Al₂O₃/SiC suspensions were prepared. For this purpose, concentrated aqueous suspensions of individual components, as well as the multicomponent mixture were studied and characterised, in terms of colloidal stability and rheological behaviour to determine the best conditions for processing and preparation of the coatings. In the study, different dispersant contents and sonication times were tested. Subsequently, low concentrated suspensions were prepared to obtain preliminary thermal barrier coatings with the optimised feedstock. Thus, ceramic coatings were deposited by SPS and then characterised in order to assess the microstructure and phase distribution, in particular, the degree of preservation of the sealing agent, SiC, in the final coating as a previous indicator of its self-healing ability.     

Self-repair of structural and functional composites with intrinsically self-healing polymer matrices: A review

Self-healing is a smart and promising way to make materials more reliable and longer lasting. In the case of structural or functional composites based on a polymer matrix, very often mechanical damage in the polymer matrix or debonding at the matrix–filler interface is responsible for the decrease in intended properties. This review describes the healing behavior in structural and functional polymer composites with a so-called intrinsically self-healing polymer as the continuous matrix. A clear similarity in the healing of structural and functional properties is demonstrated which can ultimately lead to the design of polymer composites that autonomously restore multiple properties using the same self-healing mechanism.     

The improvement of the self-healing ability of MoSi2 coatings at 900–1200 °C by introducing SiB6

The brittleness of MoSi₂ ceramic and the thermal mismatch between MoSi₂ coating and C / C composite lead to brittle cracking of the coating at 900−1200 °C. This problem has been overcome in this studyby introducing submicron-SiB₆ into the coating. The pre-fabricated cracks and a kinetics model of hot-pressed SiB₆-MoSi₂ ceramic could quantitatively predict the glass growth and crack healing. As expected, enhancing temperature and SiB₆ content increased the growth rate of the borosilicate glass and the crack healing ability of MoSi₂ ceramic, which was ascribed to the lower oxidation activation energy and larger specific surface area of submicron-SiB₆. For the plasma sprayed coating, SiB₆ with submicron structure was benefit for cracking inhibition and formation of borosilicate glass during oxidation, reducing the oxygen permeability and the consumption of inner coating. Hence, the 15 % SiB₆-MoSi₂ coatings raised the protection times to 84 and 120 h at 900 and 1200 °C respectively, presenting favorable oxidation protective performance.     

Mechanical properties of a self-healing fibre reinforced epoxy composites

Inspired by biological systems in which damage triggers an autonomic healing response, a polymer composite material that can heal itself when cracked has been developed. In this work, compression and tensile properties of a self-healed fibre reinforced epoxy composites were investigated. Microencapsulated epoxy and mercaptan healing agents were incorporated into a glass fibre reinforced epoxy matrix to produce a polymer composite capable of self-healing. The self-repair microcapsules in the epoxy resin would break as a result of microcrack expansion in the matrix, and letting out the strong repair agent to recover the mechanical strength with a relative healing efficiency of up to 140% which is a ratio of healed property value to initial property value or healing efficiency up to 119% if using the healed strength with the damaged strength.     

Experimental study on the permeability and self-healing capacity of geosynthetic clay liners in heavy metal solutions

Geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), which have a very low permeability to water and a considerably high self-healing capacity, are widely used in liner systems of landfills. In this study, a series of experimental tests were carried out under complex conditions on typical commercial GCLs from China. In particular, the effects of pH values and lead ions (Pb²⁺) were tested in addition to other factors. The swelling properties of natural bentonite encapsulated between geotextile components in the GCLs were tested first. The swelling capacity was reduced rapidly at pH values < 3 and concentrations of Pb²⁺ >40 mM. Permeability tests on GCLs with different concentrations of lead ions were then performed by using the self-developed multi-link flexible wall permeameter, and data showed that increases in lead ion concentrations greatly improved the permeability. Finally, self-healing capacity tests were conducted on needle-punched GCLs under different levels of damage. Results showed that the GCLs have a good self-healing capacity with small diameter damage holes (2 mm, close to three times the original aperture), but with a damage aperture larger than 15% of the sample area, the self-healing capacity could not prevent leakage; hence, in certain situations it will be necessary to repair the damage to meet the anti-seepage requirement.     

Preparation of self-healing Cf/SiBCN(O) composite using a novel polyborosilazane

In this study, novel polyborosilazane-derived SiBCN(O) ceramic was used as self-healing component in self-healing C_f/SiBCN(O) composite, which was prepared by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) process. Molecular-level structure design of boron-containing ceramic precursors was utilized to achieve uniform dispersion of boron-containing self-healing components in prepared composites. No elemental diffusion was observed at the interface of ceramic matrix and carbon fibers, which resulted in stable SiBCN(O) structure. In addition, boron was uniformly distributed in C_f/SiBCN(O) composite ceramic matrix, which was beneficial for self-healing of cracks. Cracks and indentations were able to heal at high temperatures in air. The best crack-healing behavior occurred in air atmosphere at 1000 °C, with nearly complete crack healing. This excellent self-healing behavior was achieved because silicon and boron atoms in SiBCN(O) ceramic reacted with available oxygen at high temperatures to form SiO₂(l), B₂O₃(l), and B₂O₃·xSiO₂ liquid phases, which effectively filled cracks. In general, as-prepared C_f/SiBCN(O) composite exhibited excellent self-healing properties and shows great application potential in high-temperature environment applications such as aviation, aerospace, and nuclear power.