Double Cross‐Linked Hydrogels Based on Coordination Bonds and Host‐Guest Interactions Showing Self‐Healing, Biocompatible, and Stretchable Properties for Flexible Electronic

The development of self‐healing conductive hydrogels holds significant promise for flexible electronic applications. In this study, block copolymer was synthesized via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of poly(acrylamide‐1‐benzyl‐3‐vinylimidazolium bromide)‐ b ‐poly(acrylic acid) (P(AM‐G)‐ b ‐PAA). The hydrogel network was cross‐linked through dynamic coordination bonds (COOH‐Zn 2+ ) and host‐guest interactions involving cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) as the host and 1‐benzyl‐3‐vinylimidazolium bromide as the guest molecule. The tensile strength increased from 0.05 to 0.2 MPa, while elongation at break rose from 350% to 500%. Notably, it achieves a compressive stress of 1.1 MPa at 50% strain. Furthermore, the hydrogel demonstrates self‐healing efficiency of 80% after 12 h at room temperature. Owing to its favorable electrical conductivity, the hydrogel could detect finger movements, highlighting its potential as a flexible sensor. This study establishes a versatile design platform for fabricating multifunctional hydrogels with optimized properties for flexible electronics.