Scientists Develop Self-Healing Hydrogel with Skin-Like Strength and Flexibility

The innovative material repairs 90% of cuts in four hours and fully heals within 24 hours, offering potential for robotics, medicine, and more.

Researchers from Aalto University and the University of Bayreuth have created a hydrogel that mimics the stiffness, flexibility, and self-healing properties of human skin.
The breakthrough involves integrating ultra-thin clay nanosheets into hydrogels, creating a dense network of entangled polymers that enhance strength and enable self-repair.
The hydrogel heals 80-90% of damage within four hours and fully repairs itself within 24 hours, thanks to dynamic polymer entanglement at the molecular level.
Potential applications include artificial skin, wound healing materials, drug delivery systems, and self-healing soft robotics sensors.
The study, published in *Nature Materials*, represents a significant advancement in material science inspired by biological systems, though further development is needed for commercial use.