Self-Healing Mechanisms in Multifunctional Structural Materials

This chapter is focused on current shortcomings of self-healing materials for their applications in aeronautics. In particular, the critical points, which prevented the application and the widespread use of these materials in aircraft structures, will be discussed. After “the state of the art” on the design of current developed structural self-healing materials and their drawbacks for application as aircraft materials, recent achievements in this field, able to overcome current drawbacks, will be described. The possibility to simultaneously impart other specific functions, which can be integrated in the material together with the auto-repair function, will be considered.