Amylopectin-phytic acid-based hyperstretchable hydrogel with 30-minute self-healing and high adhesion for human...

Natural polysaccharides have emerged as promising candidates to replace petroleum-derived hydrogels in sustainable applications. However, pristine polysaccharide-based hydrogels (e.g., amylopectin (AP)) typically exhibit suboptimal mechanical properties. This limitation can be overcome by constructing reversible dual-network architectures. In this work, we engineered a dynamic hydrogen-bond network using AP and phytic acid (PA), achieving exceptional mechanical performance (tensile strength: 326.5 kPa; strain: 3280 % without rupture). Conventional hydrogel sensors often lack the autonomous healing capabilities inherent to biological tissues. Even those with self-healing properties typically require external energy input (e.g., heating) to initiate repair. To address these challenges, we developed an AP/PA/AM/liquid metal (LM) hydrogel through a self-initiating system comprising Fe²⁺ and ammonium persulfate (APS). Remarkably, this hydrogel demonstrates rapid autonomous self-healing within 30 min without any external energy input.