Self-repairing hollow-fiber polymer composites

Self-healing materials are used in the autonomic repair of composites to restore functionalities and structural properties. This is one step closer to improving the life of a material without human intervention. Self-healing polymer composites have displayed enormous improvements in healing efficiencies. Some studies have proved healing efficiencies to be better than those prior to damage. This chapter presents a comprehensive review dedicated to the hollow fibers used in self-repairing composite materials. The developments in hollow fibers used in self-repairing polymer composites, with an emphasis on conventional hollow glass fibers (HGFs), nanofibers, and polymeric fibers are discussed. The majority of works carried out to date have focused on HGFs. However, very recently hollow nanofibers and polymeric fibers have found huge potential in self-repairing polymer composites. In this chapter, attempts are made to give an insight into the different innovative approaches that have been developed by the researchers to repair composite structures.