Unveiling innovative design of customizable adhesive flexible devices from self-healing ionogels with robust adhesion and sustainability

Self-adhesive intelligent flexible devices have opened a plethora of innovative possibilities for interfacial flexible electronics, including specific applications such as bioelectronic interfaces, flexible displays, and wearable devices. However, establishing reliable interfaces between inherently incompatible or immiscible soft materials remains a critical challenge for achieving dependable performance of interfacial flexible devices. Here, we employ a facile and generic in-situ photopolymerization method for fabricating imidazolium-based ionogels with intrinsically conductive, self-healing properties, enabling enhanced interfacial bonding. Our approach yields ionogels with exceptional properties, including robust adhesion (-477 kPa), ultrahigh elasticity (-1837% elongation), remarkable mechanical toughness (tensile and compressive strength of -1703 kPa and 12182 kPa, respectively), and high transparency (-92% transmittance). Notably, our ionogels demonstrate great potential as sustainable flexible electronics with excellent recyclability. We develop a range of customizable devices with personalized structures, utilizing a combination of 3D printing, mold casting, and in-situ photocuring. Furthermore, the intrinsically conductive ionogel can serve as smart wearable sensors for real-time monitoring of human movements. Our work unlocks the potential for innovatively designing customizable ionogel devices with integrated functionalities that fulfill the mounting demand for high-performance interfacial flexible electronics.