The Future of ‘Self-Healing’ Technologies

Recent years have witnessed significant advancement in ‘self-healing' technologies. This is unlike a decade back, when ‘self-healing' materials which are capable of restoring functionalities such as electrical conductivity or even optical (e.g., display) property after mechanical damage were practically non-existent. This editorial provides a quick introduction on reported ‘self-healing' technologies, particularly those with rapid healing time and impressive restoration of functionalities (e.g., up to 90%). There is also an emphasis on the utilities and benefits of ‘self-healing' technologies, as well as some of the key challenges in their integration and translation. It is anticipated that, with continued development and seamless integration of ‘self-healing' materials into modern-day settings, it is set to open up a new era of enhanced consumer experience, infrastructure maintenance, environmental management, as well as countless unprecedented and unique applications resembling those in science fictions.