Mechanisms and Synergistic Optimization Strategies: Advances in Self-Healing Materials for Flexible Electronics

Abstract

In the rapidly evolving fields of flexible electronics and biomedical devices, traditional flexible electronic materials are prone to functional degradation during service, primarily due to mechanical wear and the propagation of microcracks. This degradation not only reduces operational lifespan and increases maintenance costs but also introduces potential safety hazards. Such passive failure mechanisms have become critical bottlenecks constraining the high-quality development of related disciplines. In response, self-healing materials—an important subclass of intelligent materials—have been developed. These materials are capable of autonomously detecting damage and initiating repair processes, either without external intervention or under mild stimuli, thereby enabling simultaneous restoration of structural integrity and functional performance. However, materials relying on a single self-healing mechanism inevitably suffer an inherent trade-off between mechanical robustness and self-healing efficiency. This review systematically summarizes extrinsic and intrinsic self-healing mechanisms, with a particular focus on multi-mechanism synergistic strategies. These synergistic systems effectively balance mechanical strength, healing speed, and cyclic stability, demonstrating significant advantages in applications such as flexible sensors, electronic skins, and conductive devices. This paper aims to provide key guidance for the molecular design, performance modulation, and engineering applications of advanced self-healing materials for next-generation flexible electronics.