Self-healing dynamically cross linked versatile polymer electrolyte: A novel approach towards high performance, flexible electrochromic devices

Self-Healing Hydrogel Bioelectronics

Hydrogels have emerged as powerful building blocks to develop various soft bioelectronics because of their tissue-like mechanical properties, superior bio-compatibility, the ability to conduct both electrons and ions, and multiple stimuli-responsiveness. However, hydrogels are vulnerable to mechanical damage, which limits their usage in developing durable hydrogel-based bioelectronics. Self-healing hydrogels aim to endow bioelectronics with the property of repairing specific functions after mechanical failure, thus improving their durability, reliability, and longevity. This review discusses recent advances in self-healing hydrogels, from the self-healing mechanisms, material chemistry, and strategies for multiple properties improvement of hydrogel materials, to the design, fabrication, and applications of various hydrogel-based bioelectronics, including wearable physical and biochemical sensors, supercapacitors, flexible display devices, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), implantable bioelectronics, etc. Furthermore, the persisting challenges hampering the development of self-healing hydrogel bioelectronics and their prospects are proposed. This review is expected to expedite the research and applications of self-healing hydrogels for various self-healing bioelectronics.

Flexing the Spectrum: Advancements and Prospects of Flexible Electrochromic Materials

The application potential of flexible electrochromic materials for wearable devices, smart textiles, flexible displays, electronic paper, and implantable biomedical devices is enormous. These materials offer the advantages of conformability and mechanical robustness, making them highly desirable for these applications. In this review, we comprehensively examine the field of flexible electrochromic materials, covering topics such as synthesis methods, structure design, electrochromic mechanisms, and current applications. We also address the challenges associated with achieving flexibility in electrochromic materials and discuss strategies to overcome them. By shedding light on these challenges and proposing solutions, we aim to advance the development of flexible electrochromic materials. We also highlight recent advances in the field and present promising directions for future research. We intend to stimulate further innovation and development in this rapidly evolving field and encourage researchers to explore new opportunities and applications for flexible electrochromic materials. Through this review, readers can gain a comprehensive understanding of the synthesis, design, mechanisms, and applications of flexible electrochromic materials. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers and industry professionals looking to harness the potential of these materials for various technological applications.

Vitrimers: Using Dynamic Associative Bonds to Control Viscoelasticity, Assembly, and Functionality in Polymer Networks

Vitrimers have been investigated in the past decade for their promise as recyclable, reprocessable, and self-healing materials. In this Viewpoint, we focus on some of the key open questions that remain regarding how the molecular-scale chemistry impacts macroscopic physical chemistry. The ability to design temperature-dependent complex viscoelastic spectra with independent control of viscosity and modulus based on knowledge of the dynamic bond and polymer chemistry is first discussed. Next, the role of dynamic covalent chemistry on self-assembly is highlighted in the context of crystallization and nanophase separation. Finally, the ability of dynamic bond exchange to manipulate molecular transport and viscoelasticity is discussed in the context of various applications. Future directions leveraging dynamic covalent chemistry to provide insights regarding fundamental polymer physics as well as imparting functionality into polymers are discussed in all three of these highlighted areas.

Dynamically Cross-Linked Hydrogel Electrolyte with Remarkable Stretchability and Self-Healing Capability for Flexible Electrochromic Devices

It is desired to develop self-healing gel electrolytes for flexible electrochromic devices (ECDs) due to the demand of healing damages caused during operations. We here report a hydrogel electrolyte with remarkable self-healing capability, excellent stretchability, and ionic conductivity. The hydrogel electrolyte was synthesized via one-step copolymerization of glycerol monomethacrylate (GMA) and acrylamide (AAm) in the presence of borate. Within the hydrogel electrolyte, dynamic cross-linking is expected to be formed due to the borate-didiol complexation and hydrogen-bonding interactions. As a result, the hydrogel electrolyte demonstrates an excellent self-healing efficiency of up to 97%, a fracture strain of 1155%, a fracture toughness of 136.6 kJ m^-3, and a fracture stress of 13.0 kPa. Additionally, a flexible ECD based on the hydrogel electrolyte and an electrochromic layer of poly(3,4-(2,2-dimethyl-propylenedioxy)thiophene) (PProDOT-Me₂) was assembled and evaluated. The device is found to be stable in both mechanical and optical properties over 1000 operation cycles. This study may provide a promising way for self-healing electrolyte gels to be utilized in a variety of flexible electrochemical devices, including ECDs, supercapacitors, and batteries.