Thermo-reversible silicone elastomer with remotely controlled self-healing

Soft thermoplastic elastomers with increased durability are in high demand for a broad spectrum of applications. Silicone elastomers are soft and durable, but they are not thermoplastic in nature and, under extreme conditions, reliability may also suffer. Thus, as a solution to these shortcomings, we report the synthesis of a thermo-reversible, self-healing and recyclable silicone elastomer, namely P(PDMSMA-co-UPyMA)[1]. Stimuli-responsivity is imparted to the silicone copolymer by incorporating supramolecular 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidone (UPy)[2] self-assembling motifs (Figure 1). Self-healing of the novel elastomer may be triggered by both direct and indirect heating[3], the latter by means of incorporating Fe3O4 particles into the elastomer and subsequent exposure to an alternating magnetic field (AMF).