Self‐Healing Starch‐Based Ionogels with Hydroneutral Dipole–Dipole Interactions

Self‐Healing Starch‐Based Ionogels with Hydroneutral Dipole–Dipole Interactions

Advanced Science

10.1002/advs.202523541

https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202523541

J. Justin Koh, Jiayi Liu, Xue Qi Koh, Binting Huang, Szu Cheng Lai, Jayce Jian Wei Cheng, Gwendolyn J. H. Lim, Warintorn Thitsartarn, Yong‐Wei Zhang, Zhigen Yu, Chaobin He

3D printing, dipole-dipole interaction, electronics, e-skin, Self-healing, water

10 February 2026

Koh, J. J., Liu, J., Koh, X. Q., Huang, B., Lai, S. C., Cheng, J. J. W., Lim, G. J. H., Thitsartarn, W., Zhang, Y.-W., Yu, Z., & He, C. (2026). Self‐Healing Starch‐Based Ionogels with Hydroneutral Dipole–Dipole Interactions. Advanced Science, 13(24). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202523541

ABSTRACT Transparent ionically conductive self‐healing polymeric materials are essential for enabling many next‐generation technologies in areas including electronics and robotics. However, many of them lose their self‐healing ability when they come into contact with water. Herein, starch‐based, conductive, underwater‐healable and transparent ionogels for soft electronics (SCUTE) are introduced. SCUTEs consist of starch macromolecules that are partially substituted with cyanoethyl groups, and incorporated with hydrophobic ionic liquid tributyl(methyl)ammonium dicyanamide. The aprotic cyanoethyl groups possess a high polarity, thereby capable of forming dipole–dipole interactions stronger than hydrogen bonding of hydroxyl groups. Despite its high polarity, the cyanoethyl groups possess hydroneutral characteristics that only interact weakly with water. This allows dipole–dipole interactions between cyanoethyl groups to be uninterrupted even in the presence of water. More importantly, the synergistic effect between the hydroneutural cyanoethyl dipole–dipole and hydrophilic hydrogen bond led to SCUTEs’ distinct water‐accelerated self‐healing ability. In particular, healing efficiency in stretchability for SCUTE‐20 increased from 37.4% in ambient to 92.0% when exposed to water, for a healing duration of 24 h. To show its potential in soft electronics, SCUTE is demonstrated as electronic skin for robotics control and 3D‐printed aquatic electronics.

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

This research / project is supported by the Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - Manufacturing, Trade, and Connectivity Young Individual Research Grant.
Grant Reference no. : M22K3c0101

This research / project is supported by the Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - Manufacturing, Trade, and Connectivity Industry Alignment Fund – Industry Collaboration Project.
Grant Reference no. : I2401E0033

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Koh, J. J., Liu, J., Koh, X. Q., Huang, B., Lai, S. C., Cheng, J. J. W., Lim, G. J. H., Thitsartarn, W., Zhang, Y.-W., Yu, Z., & He, C. (2026). Self‐Healing Starch‐Based Ionogels with Hydroneutral Dipole–Dipole Interactions. Advanced Science, 13(24). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202523541 , which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202523541. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.

https://oar.a-star.edu.sg/communities-collections/articles/23118

2198-3844
2198-3844

Institute of Materials Research and Engineering

https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202523541