Home Physical Sciences Self-Healing Materials: An Alternative Approach to 20 Centuries of Materials Science
Article Publicly Available

Self-Healing Materials: An Alternative Approach to 20 Centuries of Materials Science

Published/Copyright: September 1, 2009
Download Article (PDF)
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Author Information
Chemistry International -- Newsmagazine for IUPAC
From the journal Chemistry International -- Newsmagazine for IUPAC Volume 30 Issue 6

_

Self-Healing Materials: An Alternative Approach to 20 Centuries of Materials Science

Springer Series in Materials Science, Vol. 100, 2007

Zwaag, Sybrand van der (Ed.)

ISBN: 978-1-4020-6249-0

As a result of the pathbreaking First International Conference on Self-Healing Materials, a distinguished group of experts was invited to contribute a chapter to the textbook Self-Healing Materials: An Alternative Approach to 20 Centuries of Materials Science, published by Springer. This book, the first in this new field of materials science, aims to present a coherent picture of design principles and resulting properties of self-healing materials over all material classes, and to offset them to the current design principles for structural materials with improved mechanical properties.

The Second International Conference on Self-Healing Materials

The First International Conference on Self Healing Materials <www.selfhealingmaterials.nl>, organized by the Delft Centre for Materials and sponsored by IUPAC, was held 18 to 20 April 2007 in Noordwijk aan Zee, the Netherlands. The event featured over 80 speakers from 5 continents and was attended by more than 200 participants. Chairmen of the conference were S. White (University of Illinois, USA) and S. van der Zwaag (Delft University of Technology).

Although the phenomenon of self-healing has been recognized in materials throughout history, especially with regards to biological systems, it was only recently that the property of self-healing was seriously considered as a desirable function for man-made materials. Beginning with the first successful incorporation of self-healing functionality in an (man-made) epoxy-system via micro encapsulation at the University of Illinois, research groups throughout the world have started to explore concepts and materials systems that impart self-healing properties for a variety of applications.

The conference was organized to gather and benefit from the insights gathered thus far in this intriguing new field. The expansive scope of the field is reflected in the topics represented at the conference:

  • asphaltic materials

  • bio-inspired technical materials

  • cementitious materials

  • composites and hybrids

  • metals

  • paints and other coatings

  • structural polymers

  • biological systems

  • theoretical models related to self-healing

  • characterization of self-healing behavior

An exciting opening lecture on the “Future of Autonomic Materials Systems” by Scott White, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, introduced new ideas about how autonomic materials systems will provide self-sensing, regrowth, and other biologically inspired functions.

Group photo taken at the First International Conference on Self Healing Materials in the Netherlands.

Peter Fratzl, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany, reported about “Self-Repair in Bone Tissue, Plasticity, Remodelling, Healing.” He explained the fundamental differences between the design of natural materials and engineered materials. Nature adapts constantly to changing conditions during its whole life time. Explaining the self-repair of bones as a typical example occurring in nature, principles and strategies can be understood and adapted to engineering material systems.

Other lecture subjects included “Particle-Filled Microcapsules to Repair Damaged Substrates” by Anna Balazs, “Self-Healing Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites” by Ian Bond, “Self-Healing in Concrete Materials” by Victor Li, “Self-Healing of Thermosetting Resins” by F. Jones, “Self-Healing in Metals” by R. Lumley and H. Wang, and “Mechanisms of Healing in Asphalt Mixtures” by D. Little.

The Second International Conference on Self-Healing Materials will be held 28 June to 1 July 2009 at The Westin Chicago River North in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA. Building on the success of the first conference, an even larger turnout is expected. The site is a four-star hotel along the Chicago River within walking distance of the Magnificent Mile shopping district, Navy Pier, Millennium Park and other Chicago sites.More information is available on the conferecen website, concerning registration, abstract submission, hotel accommodations, tours, and additional conference details. Scott White and Ian Bond are the conference co-chairs.http://conferences.beckman.uiuc.edu/ICSHM2009/

The Second International Conference on Self-Healing Materials will be held 28 June to 1 July 2009 at The Westin Chicago River North in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA. Building on the success of the first conference, an even larger turnout is expected. The site is a four-star hotel along the Chicago River within walking distance of the Magnificent Mile shopping district, Navy Pier, Millennium Park and other Chicago sites.More information is available on the conferecen website, concerning registration, abstract submission, hotel accommodations, tours, and additional conference details. Scott White and Ian Bond are the conference co-chairs.http://conferences.beckman.uiuc.edu/ICSHM2009/

www.springer.com/chemistry/polymer/book/978-1-4020-6249-0

Published Online: 2009-09-01
Published in Print: 2008-11

© 2014 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co.

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Masthead
  2. From the Editor
  3. Contents
  4. Membership in IUPAC
  5. Making Modernity at the Chemical Heritage Foundation
  6. Pure and Applied Chemistry at Your Fingertips
  7. Reflections on 40 Years of Involvement
  8. Libby and the Nuclear Hourglass
  9. CHEMRAWN VII Prize for Atmospheric and Green Chemistry
  10. Inviting Young Chemists to the 42nd IUPAC Congress in Glasgow
  11. XML Gold Book–2.0 release
  12. Revision of the Silver Book
  13. A Glossary of Concepts and Terms in Chemometrics
  14. Options for IUPAC Engagement in SAICM Implementation
  15. Provisional Recommendations
  16. Recommendations on Measurement and Analysis of Results Obtained on Biological Substances Using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (IUPAC Technical Report)
  17. Nomenclature for Rotaxanes and Pseudorotaxanes (IUPAC Recommendations 2008)
  18. Solubility Data Series
  19. Self-Healing Materials: An Alternative Approach to 20 Centuries of Materials Science
  20. International Vocabulary of Metrology–Basic and General Concepts and Associated Terms
  21. Systematic Nomenclature of Organic, Organometallic and Coordination Chemistry
  22. Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins: Proceedings of the XIIth International IUPAC Symposium
  23. The Chemistry of the 21st Century–State of the Art
  24. Polymers at the Frontiers of Science and Technology
  25. Solid State Chemistry
  26. Carbohydrates
  27. Organic Synthesis
  28. World Water Forum
  29. World Forum on Advanced Materials
  30. Thermophysical Properties
  31. Functional Molecules from Natural Sources
  32. Mark Your Calendar
  33. Index for 2008
https://doi.org/10.1515/ci.2008.30.6.20

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Masthead
  2. From the Editor
  3. Contents
  4. Membership in IUPAC
  5. Making Modernity at the Chemical Heritage Foundation
  6. Pure and Applied Chemistry at Your Fingertips
  7. Reflections on 40 Years of Involvement
  8. Libby and the Nuclear Hourglass
  9. CHEMRAWN VII Prize for Atmospheric and Green Chemistry
  10. Inviting Young Chemists to the 42nd IUPAC Congress in Glasgow
  11. XML Gold Book–2.0 release
  12. Revision of the Silver Book
  13. A Glossary of Concepts and Terms in Chemometrics
  14. Options for IUPAC Engagement in SAICM Implementation
  15. Provisional Recommendations
  16. Recommendations on Measurement and Analysis of Results Obtained on Biological Substances Using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (IUPAC Technical Report)
  17. Nomenclature for Rotaxanes and Pseudorotaxanes (IUPAC Recommendations 2008)
  18. Solubility Data Series
  19. Self-Healing Materials: An Alternative Approach to 20 Centuries of Materials Science
  20. International Vocabulary of Metrology–Basic and General Concepts and Associated Terms
  21. Systematic Nomenclature of Organic, Organometallic and Coordination Chemistry
  22. Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins: Proceedings of the XIIth International IUPAC Symposium
  23. The Chemistry of the 21st Century–State of the Art
  24. Polymers at the Frontiers of Science and Technology
  25. Solid State Chemistry
  26. Carbohydrates
  27. Organic Synthesis
  28. World Water Forum
  29. World Forum on Advanced Materials
  30. Thermophysical Properties
  31. Functional Molecules from Natural Sources
  32. Mark Your Calendar
  33. Index for 2008
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2026 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 1.3.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/ci.2008.30.6.20/html
Scroll to top button