Glow Stick-Inspired Multilayered Composites with Damage Self-Reporting and Self-Healing Properties for Aquatic Environments

Materials are inevitable to suffer from mechanical damage such as scratches or cuts when they are exposed to the marine environment. Herein, a hierarchical composite material is fabricated, which demonstrates the self-reporting and self-healing behaviors in aquatic environments including deionized water, seawater, acidic, and basic aqueous solutions. The composite material is constructed of a five-layer structure and shows excellent responsiveness to water molecules. After the material is damaged underwater, the chemiluminescence reaction comes into being quickly and the luminescence signal can last for over 3 h, allowing for timely and rapid reporting of damage. Furthermore, materials demonstrate high stretchability and self-healing behavior, making them possible to serve as soft products used in underwater environments.