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Bionic Flexible Wrinkled Strain Sensors With Water‑Accelerated Self-healing Capability for Underwater Detection and
Hao Li1, Jiaqi Liu1, Lingkun Yan1
1Shandong Key Laboratory of Special Epoxy Resin, School of Material Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, PR China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|August 9, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a self-healing flexible sensor for underwater applications. The bionic sensor demonstrates rapid underwater repair and high sensitivity, advancing robotics and human-machine interfaces.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Robotics
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Flexible sensors are vital for underwater operations but struggle with simultaneous self-healing and high sensitivity.
- Existing underwater sensors often exhibit slow response and recovery times.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a flexible sensor with superior underwater self-healing capabilities and high sensitivity.
- To address the limitations of current sensors for long-term underwater monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a flexible sensor using force-driven wool spiral regulation and high-temperature treatment, creating random wrinkled microstructures.
- Incorporation of dynamic borate ester bonds to accelerate underwater self-healing via hydrolysis-re-esterification reactions.
Main Results:
- The sensor achieved rapid underwater self-healing, resuming usable output within 8 minutes.
- Demonstrated high underwater sensitivity with average response and recovery times of 124 ms and 112 ms, respectively.
- Maintained signal stability and functional continuity over 5,000 cycles after underwater self-healing.
Conclusions:
- The bionic self-healing wrinkled flexible sensor overcomes key challenges in underwater sensing.
- This technology holds potential for long-term, high-sensitivity monitoring in underwater robotics and water-resistant human-machine interfaces.
