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To provide epoxy resin with crack healing capability, an epoxy containing both furan and epoxide groups, N,N-diglycidyl-furfurylamine (DGFA), was synthesized through a two-step approach. When it reacted with N,N′-(4,4′-diphenylmethane) bismaleimide (DPMBMI) and methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride (MHHPA), respectively, a crosslinked polymer with two types of intermonomer linkage was yielded. That is, thermally reversible Diels–Alder (DA) bonds from the reaction between furan and maleimide groups, and thermally stable bonds from the reaction between epoxide and anhydride groups. In this way, cured DGFA possessed not only similar mechanical properties as commercial epoxy, but also thermal remendability that enabled elimination of cracks. The latter function took effect as a result of successive retro-DA and DA reactions, which led to crack healing in a controlled manner through chain reconnection.
Qiao et al. (Thu,) studied this question.