Self-Healing Mechanisms in Thermoplastic, Media-Tight Injection-Molded Housings

The aim of the study is to create a self-sealing effect in media-tight metal-plastic hybrid structures by using a viscous intermediate layer as an adhesion promoter between the metal inlay and plastic housing. This layer should flow into micro-damages such as interface cracks and inhibit them and seal them. In this way, the tightness and adhesion properties should be recoverable which increases the service life of the housing significantly. The sealing properties of the housing frame are identified using a targeting helium leak detector. With regard to adhesion properties, a tensile shear test has been planned for characterization. The comparison is also made after temperature shock changes tests. Finally, metallographic analyses were carried out in order to verify the fracture surfaces in the plastic or adhesion promoter and investigate any kind of delamination within the interfaces. The results of metallographic investigations, tensile shear tests, and leakage tests should be evaluated and compared. The planned work and characterization to verify the self-healing effect is also introduced in this paper.