Magnetic ink helps electronics self-repair

The ink is able to repair itself due to the presence of conductive neodymium microparticles, which are aligned in a particular way by a magnetic field. When torn or cut, the two sides of the printed material are magnetically attracted to each other, recombining to form a complete circuit. Described in the journal Science Advances, the magnetic ink could be used in electrochemical sensors, wearables and various other printed electronics.

The engineers demonstrated the ink’s capabilities by printing a self-healing circuit on the sleeve of a T-shirt, and connecting it to a LED light and a small battery. When the T-shirt and the circuit were cut, the LED light shut down, but after just a few seconds it came back on when the two sides of the material were magnetically drawn back together, and the circuit was restored.

"Our work holds considerable promise for widespread practical applications for long-lasting printed electronic devices," said Joseph Wang, director of the Centre for Wearable Sensors and chair of the nanoengineering department at UC San Diego.