Self-healing polymeric systems—fundamentals, state of art, and challenges

Abstract The ability of polymeric systems to mimic self-healable biological systems can be traced back to the early 1980s. This chapter focuses on the basic fundamentals of self-healing polymeric systems. The important milestones of developing polymeric smart systems with self-healing ability are reviewed. Among these, various polymeric systems such as elastomers, thermoplastics, thermosets, and supramolecular polymeric systems have gained considerable significance in various applications such as structural components, coatings, and various other applications. Discussing of both chemical and nonchemical self-mendable polymeric systems, the recent reports in their related fields are also emphasized. The future perspectives and challenges toward designing self-mendable polymeric systems have serious implications on material safety, performance, and life time.