Highly conductive silver layers with self-healing abilities for stretchable electronics and beyond

The reliability of stretchable and washable electronics remains limited by the lack of conductive materials that combine mechanical resilience with environmental stability. In this work, we introduce a family of self-healing silver composites formulated with conductive silver flakes settled into tailored polymer matrices optimized for screen printing and textile integration. Three polymers: thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), were evaluated with various solvent systems to achieve optimal rheological and electrical properties. By tuning polymer–solvent interactions, the resulting screen-printable pastes exhibit conductivities up to 0.58 MS/m on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foil and sheet resistances as low as 0.028 Ω/□ while transferred onto textile. The use of a dual adhesive system (printed and powder glue) enhanced adhesion and uniformity, while encapsulation significantly improved washing durability. After multiple washing cycles, insulated samples retained low sheet resistance, and post-wash heat pressing restored up to 80% of initial conductivity, confirming self-healing behaviour. Mechanical testing revealed excellent flexibility and resilience, with TPU/ethyl nicotinate layers sustaining elongations up to 93% and maintaining stable resistance during cyclic loading. Abrasion endurance exceeded 70,000 cycles for optimized systems. Overall, the developed silver-polymer composites provide a scalable approach toward durable, repairable, and washable conductive paths for wearable and stretchable electronics. This work establishes a foundation for practical, long-lasting, and sustainable e-textile technologies suitable for healthcare, soft robotics, and next-generation smart clothing.