Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Chemical Engineering Journal, cilt.538, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Self-healing polymers typically sacrifice mechanical strength for rapid recovery or optical clarity for healing efficiency. Here, liquid metal-derived bismuth‑tin (BiSn) core-shell particles (CSPs) overcome these trade-offs in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites through synergistic structural and photothermal functionality. The intrinsic SnO-rich shell forms strong hydrogen bonds with TPU, ensuring uniform dispersion, efficient stress transfer, and enhanced interfacial adhesion, while the metallic core provides ductility and both the metallic core and oxygen deficient oxide shell enable broadband absorption and exceptional light-to-heat conversion. The incorporation of only 0.5 wt% BiSn CSPs into the TPU matrix leads to a significant enhancement in tensile strength (from 25 MPa to 46 MPa) and more than doubles the toughness (to 114 MJ/m3), while maintaining >500% elongation. The composites retain ~50% transmittance at 450 μm thickness, with tunability from 30% to 70% across thickness from 660 to 100 μm, enabling deep-light penetration for thick-section healing. Under 915 nm irradiation (1.6 W/cm2), composites reach 145–150 °C within 1 min, achieving 89% healing efficiency in 10 min. BSE-SEM and optical analyses confirm that healing occurs throughout the entire cross-section via localized photothermal heating and flow-induced interdiffusion. This approach uniquely reconciles the strength–transparency–healing trilemma, positioning BiSn CSP-reinforced polymers as scalable platforms for flexible electronics, aerospace coatings, and self-repairing protective systems.