Self-Healable Gels for Use in Wearable Devices

Self-healing gels, which are able to restore their original shape/condition after damage, have recently attracted considerable interest. The present review provides an update on the current status of self-healing gels for use in soft self-healing devices, with the main focus on wearable devices. Following a brief introduction of conventional self-healing gels, this review summarizes the current strategies for synthesizing self-healing gels, comparing the properties of polymeric and small molecular self-healing gels. Some of the strengths and weaknesses of these two types of self-healing gels are clearly highlighted. Several typical instances to outline the emerging applications of self-healing gels with partially or fully self-healing devices/materials, including wearable sensors, supercapacitors, lithium batteries, and coatings, are provided. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives regarding the further development of self-healing gels are also discussed.