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The utilization of self-healing polymers is a promising way of solving problems associated with the wear and tear of polymer products, such as those caused by mechanical stress or environmental factors. In this study, a series of novel self-healing, high-strength copolymers of acrylamide, acrylic acid, and novel acrylic complexes of 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine [Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II)] was prepared. A systematic study of the composition and properties of the obtained polymers was carried out using a variety of physicochemical techniques (elemental analysis, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR/FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and tensile testing). All metallopolymer samples exhibit autonomous intrinsic healing along with maintaining high tensile strength values (for some samples, the initial tensile strength exceeded 100 MPa). The best values of healing efficiency are possessed by metallopolymers with a nickel complex (up to 83%), which is most likely due to the highest lability of the metal–heteroatom coordination bonds. The example of this system shows the ability to re-heal with negligible deterioration of the mechanical properties. The possibility of tuning the mechanical properties of self-healing films through the use of different metal ions has been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal decomposition of Cu, Co, Ni, Mn, Fe, and Cr methacryloylacetonates has been compared with the thermal behavior of the corresponding acetylacetonates and poly (methacryioylacetonates). Dehydration and thermal polymerization of methacryioylacetonates occur at 110-160 °C. The results of the thermolysis conform with the Irving-Williams sequence for the stability of the complexes of bivalent transition metals. Thermal destruction of metallopolymers differs from that of low-molecular analogs. The temperature of complete decomposition of the compounds studied correlates with the number of electrons in the d-orbital of the metal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]