Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets-based hydrogels with light-triggered self-healing property for flexible sensors

The fabrication of flexible electronic sensors with self-healing capability is of great importance for the applications in wearable devices and skin-like electronics. Herein, a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets-based hydrogel (Gel-PEG-MoS2, GPM hydrogel), with near infrared (NIR) light-induced self-healing property, was first reported as a flexible sensor. Only a small amount of MoS2 nanosheets (0.04 wt‰) could impart the hydrogel with fast self-healing property under NIR irradiation in 90 s. The healing efficiencies increased with the increasing of MoS2 loadings. Moreover, the GPM hydrogel exhibited both contact and noncontact sensing properties based on its deformation-dependent and light-sensitive conductivity, showing potential application as mechanical sensor and light-activated switches. By employing the versatile MoS2 nanosheets, the hydrogel exhibited both fast self-healing ability and mechanical/light sensing capability. Therefore, the MoS2-based hydrogel provides a two-pronged approach for construction of self-healing flexible electronics.