A Self-healing Conductive Ink

1. Susan A. Odom¹, 
2. Sarut Chayanupatkul²,
3. Benjamin J. Blaiszik², 
4. Ou Zhao¹, 
5. Aaron C. Jackson², 
6. Paul V. Braun², 
7. Nancy R. Sottos²,
8. Scott R. White^3,*, 
9. Jeffrey S. Moore^1,*

Article first published online: 10 APR 2012

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201200196

Electrical conductivity of mechanically damaged silver ink circuits is automatically restored using core–shell microcapsules. Upon mechanical damage to the circuit and microcapsules, silver particles reorganize by dissolution of the polymer binder layer upon release of solvent, hexyl acetate, from microcapsule cores. Conductivity is restored within minutes of damage, and no short-circuiting is revealed during the healing of closely spaced lines.