Recyclable self-secreting autonomous healing dielectrics for millisecond water quality sensing

Mengmeng Liu, Hongchen Guo, Yu Jun Tan, Kelu Yu, Qiye Guan, Evgeny Zamburg, Wen Cheng, Xinyu Wang, Lili Zhou, Haiming Chen, Yunxia Jin, Xu Cheng, Fang-Cheng Liang, Baoshan Tang, Hashina Parveen Anwar Ali, Jingyi Yang, Chaobin He, Yongqing Cai, Aaron Voon-Yew Thean, Zhong Lin Wang and Benjamin C. K. Tee ()
Additional contact information
Mengmeng Liu: National University of Singapore
Hongchen Guo: National University of Singapore
Yu Jun Tan: National University of Singapore
Kelu Yu: National University of Singapore
Qiye Guan: Taipa
Evgeny Zamburg: National University of Singapore
Wen Cheng: National University of Singapore
Xinyu Wang: National University of Singapore
Lili Zhou: National University of Singapore
Haiming Chen: National University of Singapore
Yunxia Jin: National University of Singapore
Xu Cheng: National University of Singapore
Fang-Cheng Liang: National University of Singapore
Baoshan Tang: National University of Singapore
Hashina Parveen Anwar Ali: National University of Singapore
Jingyi Yang: National University of Singapore
Chaobin He: National University of Singapore
Yongqing Cai: Taipa
Aaron Voon-Yew Thean: National University of Singapore
Zhong Lin Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Benjamin C. K. Tee: National University of Singapore

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Developing a sustainable, in-situ responsive sensing method for continuously monitoring water quality is crucial for water use and quality management globally. Conventional water quality monitoring sensors face challenges in achieving ultrafast response time and are non-recyclable. We present a self-assembly approach for a closed-loop recyclable, autonomous self-healing and transparent dielectric material with nanostructured amphiphobic surfaces (termed ‘ReSURF’). Our approach uses tribo-negative small molecules that spontaneously secrete onto the surface of the fluorine dielectric matrix via biomimetic microphase separation within minutes. ReSURF devices achieve millisecond water quality sensing response time (~6 ms), high signal-to-noise ratio (~30.7 dB) and can withstand large mechanical deformations (>760%, maximum of 1000% strain). We show ReSURF can be readily closed-loop recycled for reuse, underscoring its versatility. We further demonstrated its use in a soft stretchable fish-like robot for real-time water contamination (including perfluorooctanoic acid, a member of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and oily pollutants) assessments.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59973-y

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