Development of Self-Healing Polyurethane and Applications in Flexible Electronic Devices: A Review

Traditional polyurethanes have gained widespread application due to their excellent mechanical properties, wear resistance, and processability. However, these materials are susceptible to cracking or fracture under environmental stresses. In recent years, self-healing polyurethanes have garnered significant attention as a critical research field owing to their key capabilities, such as repairing physical damage, restoring mechanical strength, structural adaptability, and cost-effective manufacturing. This review systematically examines the healing mechanisms, structural characteristics, and performance metrics of self-healing polyurethanes, with in-depth analysis of their repair efficacy across various applications—particularly in flexible electronic devices. It demonstrates that self-healing polyurethanes overcome traditional failure modes in flexible electronics through self-repair-function integration mechanisms. Their stimuli-responsive healing behavior is driving the evolution of this field toward an intelligent regenerative electronics paradigm.