Yuzhe Gu, Jingyu He, Yang Li, Haitao Hu, Xiaotian Wang, Xirui He, Huaitao Chen, Qiang Zhao
Hydrogels, owing to their exceptional flexibility, stretchability, and biocompatibility, have emerged as ideal substrates for wearable bioelectronics, biomedical devices, and related applications. Nevertheless, conventional hydrogels are prone to mechanical damage under prolonged external stress and are susceptible to dehydration, swelling, and contamination under extreme environmental conditions, compromising their stability and practical performance. To address these limitations, various strategies have been developed to enhance hydrogel stability, including structural optimization and the incorporation of functionalized or modified materials. This review systematically summarizes key approaches for improving hydrogel mechanical robustness, self-healing ability, water retention, freeze resistance, antiswelling performance, and antimicrobial activity. The underlying mechanisms, advantages, limitations, and application scenarios of these strategies are critically analyzed. Finally, future perspectives on the design and development of hydrogels with superior stability, as well as their potential applications in advanced biomedical and bioelectronic fields, are discussed.