Polymer Engineering of Self‐Healing Materials for Wearable Healthcare Technologies: Design, Mechanisms, and Applications

Abstract

The growing demand for continuous and reliable physiological monitoring has accelerated the development of flexible wearable healthcare devices. However, conventional systems often suffer from mechanical failure and performance degradation under repeated deformation. In this context, self‐healing (SH) polymeric materials have emerged as an effective strategy to enhance device durability and operational stability. This review presents recent advances in the polymer engineering of SH materials, emphasizing their ability to restore both mechanical integrity and electrical functionality after damage. SH mechanisms are categorized into dynamic covalent polymer networks, including imine, disulfide, and Diels–Alder chemistries, and supramolecular polymer interactions such as hydrogen bonding, ionic interactions, and metal–ligand coordination. The relationship between these polymer‐based mechanisms and material performance is discussed, with focus on key factors such as healing time, polymer composition, and network architecture. Furthermore, the role of conductive, semiconductive, and dielectric polymer systems in applications such as electronic skin, wearable sensors, energy devices, and implantable bioelectronics is examined. Overall, self‐healing polymer systems demonstrate strong potential to improve the reliability, flexibility, and longevity of next‐generation wearable healthcare technologies.