Self-Healing Robots Can Recover From Damage Without Human Help

Scientists have developed a hydrogel that mimics human skin by combining strength, flexibility, and self-healing capabilities.

Created by researchers from Aalto University and the University of Bayreuth, this material can repair 80-90% of cuts in just four hours and fully heal within 24 hours, marking a significant advancement in materials science

The hydrogel’s innovative design is based on ultra-thin clay nanosheets that create a dense polymer network, enhancing its durability while preserving its ability to self-repair.  The researchers achieved this by mixing a monomer powder with water containing nanosheets and exposing the solution to UV light.

“The UV radiation from the lamp causes the individual molecules to bind together so that everything becomes an elastic solid – a gel,” explained Chen Liang, one of the study’s authors, as reported on Interesting Engineering.

The key to the hydrogel’s self-healing ability lies in the entanglement of its polymers. “Entanglement means that the thin polymer layers start to twist around each other like tiny wool yarns, but in a random order,” said Hang Zhang from Aalto University, as reported on Eurekalert.

“When the polymers are fully entangled, they are indistinguishable from each other. They are very dynamic and mobile at the molecular level, and when you cut them, they start to intertwine again,” he added.

A one-millimeter-thick sample of the hydrogel contains around 10,000 layers of nanosheets, making it as stiff as human skin while maintaining flexibility. The material’s rapid healing and durability make it a promising candidate for applications in artificial skin, soft robotics, and biomedical technologies.

“This work is an exciting example of how biological materials inspire us to look for new combinations of properties for synthetic materials. Imagine robots with robust, self-healing skins or synthetic tissues that autonomously repair,” said Olli Ikkala from Aalto University, as reported on Eurekalert.

“It’s the kind of fundamental discovery that could renew the rules of material design,” he added.

The synthetic clay nanosheets used in the hydrogel were developed by Professor Josef Breu at the University of Bayreuth. The study, published in Nature Materials, represents a major step toward bio-inspired materials that could transform multiple industries, from wound healing to drug delivery and robotics.

While real-world applications are still in development, the potential of this technology is immense.

Researchers believe that with further improvements, self-healing synthetic tissues, flexible robotic skins, and medical materials with autonomous repair capabilities could soon become a reality.