With funding from DOE’s Building Technologies Office (BTO), researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a self-healing adhesive with many potential applications in the building sector. When used in building applications, sealants strengthen the building envelope and enhance the building’s energy efficiency by minimizing air leaks. This new material, called an Autonomous Self-healing and Highly Adhesive Elastomer (ASHA-Elastomer), holds particular promise as a sealant. Elastomers are polymeric materials with rubber-like elasticity found in many familiar products, from tennis shoes and tires to sealants and prosthetics. The new elastomer recently developed at ORNL is able to self-heal autonomously, without the need of external stimulus, but with the added functionality of a strong adhesive.

Until now, most self-healing elastomers have displayed poor adhesion strength, which limits their utility as coatings and sealants. Compared to traditional sealants, the novel, self-healing properties of this material have the potential to extend the lifetime of critical building materials by reducing normal wear and tear. In lab tests, researchers found that the ASHA-Elastomer can fully recover its functionality even after being damaged, performing with comparable adhesion and strength.

The research team also considered how external conditions might affect the ASHA-Elastomer. Even dust, which renders many adhesives like household tape virtually useless, did not impair its stickiness. Moreover, an underwater test demonstrated that the self-healing properties of the ASHA-Elastomer were not affected by the presence of water. When picturing a dusty or wet construction site, it is easy to understand the benefits this technology could offer to the building sector.

This advanced building material could extend product life, minimizing the need for costly and inefficient maintenance projects. By maintaining its adhesion and strength after self-healing, the ASHA-Elastomer could minimize inefficiencies caused by performance loss. 

This project is the latest example of innovative and impactful research funded through BTO’s Advanced Building Construction (ABC) Initiative. The ABC Initiative has focused its efforts on developing new construction technologies and ensuring that advanced technologies are integrated into building practices. Learn more about the exciting work in advanced building construction at the BTO website.