Linseed oil undergoes an oxidative drying reaction upon exposure to air, resulting in a soft film. The reaction conversion after 48 h reached 88% and 59% when it reacted at room temperature and −20 °C, respectively. Linseed-oil-loaded microcapsules were prepared using a urea-formaldehyde polymer as the shell wall material. The microcapsules were integrated into a commercially available protective coating formulation to prepare self-healing coating formulations with different capsule loadings. The coating formulations were applied on mortar specimens to prepare self-healing coatings. The effect of capsule loading on adhesion strength of the self-healing coating was studied. The self-healing function of the coating was investigated by SEM, a water sorptivity test and an accelerated carbonation test. Successful self-healing was demonstrated for both scratch and crack damage in the coatings. Low-temperature self-healing was demonstrated with a saline solution sorptivity test conducted at −20 °C. The linseed-oil-based microcapsule-type self-healing coating system is a promising candidate as a protective coating for cementitious materials.

A pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA)-based oligoimide (PMDA-ODA) was synthesized by a one-step procedure using water as a solvent. The PMDA-ODA particles showed excellent partial wetting properties and were stably dispersed in both water and oil phases. A stable dispersion was not obtained with comparison PMDA-ODA particles that were synthesized by a conventional two-step method using an organic solvent. Both oil-in-water and water-in-oil Pickering emulsions were prepared using the oligoimide particles synthesized in water, and the size of the emulsion droplet was controlled based on the oligoimide particle concentration. The oligoimide particles were tested to prepare Pickering emulsions using various kinds of oils. The oil-in-water Pickering emulsions were successfully applied to prepare microcapsules of the emulsion droplets. Our new Pickering emulsion stabilizer has the advantages of easy synthesis, no need for surface modification, and the capability of stabilizing both oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions.

Pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA) oligoimide particles and PMDA-ODA poly(amic acid) salt (PAAS) were synthesized and used as stabilizers to prepare oil-in-water Pickering high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). The stability of the Pickering HIPEs was investigated by dispersion stability analysis. Polyimide-based polyHIPEs could be prepared through freeze-drying and subsequent thermal imidization of the Pickering HIPEs. The characteristics of the polyHIPEs, including their morphology, porosity, thermal decomposition temperature, and compression modulus, were investigated. The thermal decomposition temperature (T₁₀) of the polyHIPEs was very high (>530 °C), and their porosity was as high as 92%. The polyimide-based polyHIPEs have the potential to be used in high-temperature environments.