Owing to wearing and unpredictable damage, the working lifetime of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is largely limited. In this work, we prepared a single-electrode multifunctional TENG (MF-TENG) that exhibits fast self-healing, human health monitoring capability, and photothermal properties. The device consists of a thin self-healing poly­(vinyl alcohol)-based hydrogel sandwiched between two self-healing silicone elastomer films. The MF-TENG exhibits a short-circuit current, short-circuit transfer charge, and open-circuit voltage of 7.98 μA, 78.34 nC, and 38.57 V, respectively. Furthermore, owing to the repairable networks of the dynamic imine bonds in the charged layer and the borate ester bonds in the electrodes, the prepared device could recover its original state after mechanical damage within 10 min at room temperature. The MF-TENG can be attached to different human joints for self-powered monitoring of personal health information. Additionally, the MF-TENG under near-infrared laser irradiation can provide a photothermal therapy for assisting the recovery of human joints motion. It is envisaged that the proposed MF-TENG can be applied to the fields of wearable electronics and health-monitoring devices.

No abstract

Biodegradable electronics are considered as an important bio‐friendly solution for electronic waste (e‐waste) management, sustainable development, and emerging implantable devices. Elastic electronics with higher imitative mechanical characteristics of human tissues, have become crucial for human‐related applications. The convergence of biodegradability and elasticity has emerged a new paradigm of next‐generation electronics especially for wearable and implantable electronics. The corresponding biodegradable elastic materials are recognized as a key to drive this field toward the practical applications. The review first clarifies the relevant concepts including biodegradable and elastic electronics along with their general design principles. Subsequently, the crucial mechanisms of the degradation in polymeric materials are discussed in depth. The diverse types of biodegradable elastomers and gels for electronics are then summarized. Their molecular design, modification, processing, and device fabrication especially the structure–properties relationship as well as recent advanced are reviewed in detail. Finally, the current challenges and the future directions are proposed. The critical insights of biodegradability and elastic characteristics in the elastomers and gel allows them to be tailored and designed more effectively for electronic applications.

No abstract

No abstract