MOF/IL-hybridized polysiloxane with rapid room-temperature self-healing and dual antibacterial properties

Polysiloxanes, widely used in antifouling applications, confront significant challenges due to their damage in complex service environments, making the development of self-healing polysiloxanes (SHS) imperative. Current self-healing polymers underutilize silicone components, and intrinsic self-healing pure polysiloxanes, especially those integrated with functional fillers, remain largely unexplored. In this study, we developed a self-healing antifouling polysiloxane system through low-temperature green synthesis of H-bond-enriched polysiloxanes, combined with the synergistic photocatalytic/contact-killing effects of MIL-125-NH₂ and ionic liquid. The material achieves instantaneous self-healing at room-temperature after fracture through segmental mobility and hydrogen bond reconfiguration, with a final healing efficiency of up to 80.2 %. It demonstrates exceptional antibacterial activity under light irradiation while effectively reducing bacterial adhesion in dark environment. Moreover, it exhibits exceptional thermal stability up to 370 °C and demonstrates high resistance to both UV and X-ray radiation at elevated doses. This work provides an innovative solution for self-healing materials designed for harsh environments.