Abstract: A crosslinked silicone elastomer is prepared by utilizing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the host material, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH-560) was used as a crosslinking agent to introduce 4,4'-dithiodianiline (4-AFD) into the silane chain. By taking advantage of the heat-triggered of the included disulfide bonds, the crosslinked silicone elastomer can be self-healed without any catalyst. A series of verification experiments are carried out to characterize the properties of the repaired rubber. The research shows that the silicone elastomer is basically unchanged before and after repair, and the mechanical properties have decreased. The simple and eco-friendly method would help to increase reliability and durability of silicone products and minimize wasting of resources.

Keywords—silicone, disulfide exchange, self-healing