Advances and Progress in Self-Healing Hydrogel and Its Application in Regenerative Medicine

A hydrogel is a three-dimensional structure that holds plenty of water, but brittleness largely limits its application. Self-healing hydrogels, a new type of hydrogel that can be repaired by itself after external damage, have exhibited better fatigue resistance, reusability, hydrophilicity, and responsiveness to environmental stimuli. The past decade has seen rapid progress in self-healing hydrogels. Self-healing hydrogels can automatically self-repair after external damage. Different strategies have been proposed, including dynamic covalent bonds and reversible noncovalent interactions. Compared to traditional hydrogels, self-healing gels have better durability, responsiveness, and plasticity. These features allow the hydrogel to survive in harsh environments or even to be injected as a drug carrier. Here, we summarize the common strategies for designing self-healing hydrogels and their potential applications in clinical practice.

Automated summary

A hydrogel is a three-dimensional structure that can hold a large amount of water, but its brittleness limits its application. Self-healing hydrogels, a new type of hydrogel that can repair itself after external damage, have shown better fatigue resistance, reusability, hydrophilicity, and responsiveness to environmental stimuli. In the past decade, self-healing hydrogels have made rapid progress. They can automatically self-repair after external damage through strategies such as dynamic covalent bonds and reversible noncovalent interactions. Compared to traditional hydrogels, self-healing gels have improved durability, responsiveness, and plasticity, making them suitable for harsh environments and potential applications as drug carriers.