Smart self-healing polymers: innovations in material design and applications for electronic skin and energy devices

Abstract

Modern electronic devices with multifunctional capabilities have greatly improved everyday comfort and convenience. However, their frequent use often leads to both physical and chemical degradation, ultimately diminishing device longevity and reliability. In contrast, biological systems possess a remarkable self-healing ability that enables survival and adaptability in unpredictable environments, an attribute largely absent in conventional electronic devices. To overcome this limitation, integrating self-healing materials into device design presents a promising approach to extend operational lifespan and maintain mechanical integrity, functionality, and electrical performance. Drawing inspiration from nature, researchers have refined innovative self-healing materials and device architectures that significantly intensify the durability, resilience, and safety of energy-harvesting, sensing, and storage systems. This review highlights recent advancements in the development of self-healing materials tailored for energy-related and sensing applications over the past decade. It aims to furnish an extensive understanding of materials, mechanisms, and device-level implementations, shaping the future of robust, next-generation electronics. We hope this review offers valuable insights to guide future innovations in smart electronic skin and energy devices, where enhanced self-healing and sensing capabilities can be synergistically combined for practical, real-world applications.