Self-healing actuatable electroluminescent fibres

Alternating-current electroluminescent fibres are promising candidates as light sources for smart textiles and soft machines. However, physical damage from daily use causes device deterioration or failure, making self-healable electroluminescent fibres attractive. In addition, soft robots could benefit from light-emitting combined with magnetically actuated functions. Here, we present a self-healing and actuatable Scalable Hydrogel-clad Ionotronic Nickel-core Electroluminescent (SHINE) fibre which achieves a record luminance of 1068 cd × m−2 at 5.7 V × μm−1. The SHINE fibre can self-heal across all constituent layers after being severed, recovering 98.6% of pristine luminance and maintaining for over 10 months. SHINE fibre is also magnetically actuatable due to the ferromagnetic nickel electrode core, enabling a soft robotic fibre with omnidirectional actuation and electro-luminescence. Our approach to this multifunctional fibre broadens the design of fibre electronics and fibre robots, with applications in interactive displays and damage-resilient navigation. Alternating-current electroluminescent fibres hold promise as light sources for smart textiles and soft machines, yet they suffer from low durability and stability. Here, the authors report a bright, durable electroluminescent fibre that recovers from severing damage and remains stable for months, with omnidirectional magnetic actuation.