High-performance, flexible microsupercapacitor with rapid, full-device photothermal self-healing using a multi-functional MXene-based ionohydrogel

초록

Rapid self-healing of mechanically damaged devices is essential for the practical application of flexible wearable devices. Accordingly, there have been efforts to develop self-healing microsupercapacitors (MSCs) as integrated energy storage in wearable devices. However, achieving fast, fully self-healing MSCs with high electrochemical performance remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report a near-infrared (NIR) laser-induced rapid, fully self-healing flexible MSC. The MSC consists of a photothermal MXene-based ionohydrogel electrolyte, photothermal aniline-trimer-based polyurethane (AT-PU) films serving as both substrate and encapsulation layers, and an MXene–carbon nanotube/ polyaniline composite electrode on an interdigitated Au nanosheet current collector. The MSC exhibits a high areal capacitance of 80.2 mF cm−2 at 0.1 mA cm−2 and retains 93.9 % of initial capacitance after 10,000 charge/discharge cycles. MXene plays a dual role as an inorganic filler and photothermal agent in the ionohydrogel, enhancing ionic conductivity and generating localized heat under NIR laser irradiation to accelerate bond reformation. Thus, the ionohydrogel, constructed from dynamic imine bonds and abundant hydrogen bonds, recovers 91.0 % of pristine mechanical properties within 1 min of NIR irradiation, and full-device photothermal self-healing of the MSC is achieved within 3 min. Consequently, the MSC recovers 100 % and 85.7 % of its pristine capacitance after the first and fifth healing cycles, respectively. Furthermore, a strain sensor can be powered by the integrated MSC on a single AT-PU substrate, detecting bio-signals even after self-healing of damaged patch. This work establishes a device-level strategy for achieving fast, photothermally self-healing wearable energy storage devices with high electrochemical performance. © 2026 Elsevier B.V.

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