Skin-Inspired Ultrafast Self-Healing Wearable Patch with Hybrid Cooling for Comfortable and Durable Electromyographic Monitoring

As the body's largest organ, the skin is an integrated multisensory system with self-healing ability and helps stabilize body temperature. It is herein, inspired by natural skin, a wearable patch made from porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) skeleton, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel, and silicon oxide (SiO2) particles, offers a combination of self-healing properties, along with hybrid radiative and evaporative cooling mechanisms, designed for electromyographic (EMG) signal detection and human-machine interaction. The patch has both high mid-infrared (MIR) emittance (96%) and visible to near-infrared (visNIR) reflectance (80%), coupled with efficient water evaporation from the PVA hydrogel, resulting in a hybrid cooling power of 180 W m-2. It obtains a temperature drop of approximate to 7.7 degrees C using this patch under a solar intensity of approximate to 700 W m-2. Furthermore, the patch demonstrates self-healing ability with ultrafast recovery of electrical conductivity (1 s) and a self-healing efficiency (approximate to 71%) of fracture strain. Thus, the wearable patch can detect high-quality EMG signals and provide cooling effects and self-healing capabilities that enhance comfortability and durability. These features make the patch an advanced solution for developing next-generation wearable patches that can meet the rigorous demands of durable body temperature control in various applications. A wearable patch made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) skeleton, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel, and silicon oxide (SiO2) particles achieves hybrid cooling and self-healing. With high mid-infrared (MIR) emittance and visible to near-infrared (visNIR) reflectance, it delivers 180 W m-2 cooling power. This innovative patch promises high-quality electromyographic (EMG) signal detection, cooling effects, and self-healing capabilities, offering a durable solution for body temperature control in diverse applications.image