A modular self-healing semiconductor technology that allows for changing functions and rearranging circuits as desired has been developed. It is expected to aid the development of implantable intelligent devices and wearable devices as it can maintain performance even after in-body implantation and disassembly.
The National Research Foundation of Korea announced on the 21st that a research team led by Professors Donghee Son and Jinhong Park from Sungkyunkwan University has developed a customized bio-electronic circuit using flexible self-healing semiconductors that can be assembled like Lego without separate soldering or joining processes.
As wearable and implantable technologies continue to advance, electronic components are evolving into flexible and resilient electronic skin forms. However, existing electronic skin is difficult to modify once its functions and shapes are designed, which limits the implementation of personalized systems and makes them vulnerable to damage.
The research team applied self-healing polymers to the structure of the transistor, a semiconductor device, to allow it to recover performance after damage. Self-healing polymers are intelligent materials that can detect defects in physically damaged polymers and restore their structure. Electrodes and semiconductors were produced by mixing carbon nanotubes and organic semiconductors based on elastic polymers, and the insulating layer was implemented by coating the self-healing polymer in a thin film form. Carbon nanotubes are new materials formed by carbon atoms connected in hexagonal rings to create a cylindrical shape.
The team subsequently confirmed that the self-healing transistor operates even in underwater environments, and through biocompatibility tests and animal experiments, validated that it maintains electrical performance when implanted in the body for one week.
The developed transistor was applied to modular circuit designs that can be assembled. It was capable of functioning even when the logic operations of the circuit were altered and subjected to mechanical deformation, and the module was demonstrated in a wearable electronic skin system that provides visual interaction upon touch.
Professor Donghee Son said, "The self-healing elastic variable electronic circuit and module technology can be applied in the future to brain-nerve therapeutic devices, implantable sensors, and smart artificial skin in the healthcare and bio-electronics fields." Professor Jinhong Park noted, "By advancing self-healing capabilities, it is expected to evolve into an intelligent self-healing system with a circular mechanism for defect detection, self-diagnosis, and self-recovery."
This research was published online in the international journal "Nature Electronics" on the 19th.
References
Nature Electronics (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-025-01389-z