I-Corps: Commercialization of UV-Curable Self-Healing Prepregs and High-Temperature 4D Printing Inks for Smart Composite Systems

Award ID: 2534500

This I-Corps project is based on the development of materials capable of autonomous adaptation, self-healing, and reliable performance in extreme environments. Industries such as energy, aerospace, and civil engineering face billions of dollars in losses each year due to recurring material failures and labor-intensive repairs. Current materials often cannot perform in extreme environments or recover from damage. This technology introduces a new class of smart materials that respond to damage and temperature changes without manual intervention, enabling longer service life and more efficient deployment. In addition, these materials are ultraviolet (UV) curable, customizable, and compatible with additive manufacturing, making them ideal for both in-field and factory use. The use of these materials may reduce operational downtime and replacement frequency by offering adaptive, more durable alternatives. They may be used in a wide range of industries including oil and gas, aerospace, and infrastructure that needs in-situ repair. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of high-temperature, 4D printable shape memory polymer inks and UV-curable self-healing composite prepregs. These materials are designed for smart manufacturing and in-situ structural repair applications where high thermal resistance, damage recovery, and programmability are required. The core technology is based on acrylate monomer systems with tunable glass transition temperatures, enabling photopolymerization-based 4D printing with enhanced dimensional control. The self-healing prepregs use reversible polymer network architectures activated by thermal stimuli. Unlike traditional composites, this solution integrates shape memory and damage recovery, reducing the need for external repair and increasing lifecycle performance. Research has shown recovery efficiencies above 90% and thermal stability exceeding 200C. The combination of reprogrammability, high printing resolution, and mechanical resilience is an advance over conventional thermosets or thermoplastics. The goal is to provide a solution to unmet needs in the aerospace, energy, and infrastructure industries while identifying barriers to commercial deployment such as processing scale, qualification standards, and field applicability. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman