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Vol. 19 (2027)

Zwitterionic Ionogels Resolving the Trade-Off Between Mechanical Strength and Autonomous Self-Healing for Iontronics

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02318-1
Zhengyang Kong
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Ji Hong Kim
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Jonghwi Kim
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Woojin Lee
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Hayoung Oh
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Wu Bin Ying
School of Electrical Engineering (EE), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
Joo Sung Kim
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Seonghwan Yun
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
So Young Kim
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Do Hwan Kim
Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea

Corresponding Author: Do Hwan Kim

dhkim76@hanyang.ac.kr

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 19 (2027), Article Number: 11

Abstract

Simultaneously achieving mechanical robustness and autonomous self-healing in ionogels remains a fundamental challenge for durable, skin-like electronics. Conventional approaches often improve mechanical strength by introducing rigid or densely cross-linked polymer networks, but such strategies inevitably restrict polymer chain mobility and hinder dynamic bond reconfiguration required for healing. Here, a zwitterionic side-chain engineered tough ionogel (ZESTI) is developed to overcome this trade-off through molecular-level design. Hydrophilic zwitterions are covalently grafted onto a hydrophobic polyurethane backbone to preferentially interact with the ionic liquid through ion–dipole interactions and thereby regulate its distribution. This architecture simultaneously facilitates dipole–dipole interactions for mechanical reinforcement and ion–dipole coordination for efficient self-healing under ambient conditions. As a result, ZESTI exhibits an exceptional combination of tensile strength (10.40 MPa), stretchability (1606%), toughness (56.03 MJ m−3), and ambient self-healing efficiency exceeding 83%, while maintaining high ionic conductivity via enhanced ion hopping. When constructed as a self-reporting packaging interface, ZESTI provides stable protection and state perception under sharp contact and restores signal output after mechanical damage through self-healing. This work offers a generalizable design strategy that reconciles mechanical toughness with dynamic functionality in ionogels, establishing a general design paradigm for next-generation self-sustaining iontronic devices.


Highlights:
1 Zwitterionic side-chain engineered tough ionogel (ZESTI) resolves the trade-off between mechanical toughness and autonomous self-healing through zwitterionic side-chain engineering.
2 Synergistic dynamic ion–dipole and dipole–dipole interactions enable robust mechanical reinforcement, efficient ion transport, and room-temperature self-healing.
3 ZESTI-based iontronic devices exhibit reliable sensing performance and functional recovery after mechanical damage.

Keywords

Zwitterionic ionogels High strength Autonomous self-healing Self-sustaining iontronics
Kong, Zhengyang, Ji Hong Kim, Jonghwi Kim, Woojin Lee, Hayoung Oh, Wu Bin Ying, Joo Sung Kim, Seonghwan Yun, So Young Kim, and Do Hwan Kim. 2026. “Zwitterionic Ionogels Resolving the Trade-Off Between Mechanical Strength and Autonomous Self-Healing for Iontronics”. Nano-Micro Letters 19 (July):11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02318-1.
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