A dielectric material that heals after being broken, restoring its electrical, thermal, and insulating properties, could address a key challenge preventing wide use of flexible electronics.
“Wearable and bendable electronics are subject to mechanical deformation over time, which could destroy or break them,” says Qing Wang, a professor of materials science and engineering at Pennsylvania State Univ. “We wanted to find an electronic material that would repair itself to restore all of its functionality, and do so after multiple breaks.”
Flexible electronics, from rollable displays to computerized fabrics, will require materials that can be deformed without losing their functionality. Much of the research in this area has focused on developing self-healing conductive materials. However, dielectrics are also key ingredients of electronic devices and must also be able to stand up to mechanical assault and keep working.
“Most research into...
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