Inspired by the repair of DNA through efficient reformation of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds), herein we report a facile one-step approach to construction of self-healing antifogging thin films on the basis of partly cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA) and poly(acrylic acid)(PAA). By designing the molar ratio of hydroxyl groups to carboxyl groups, the cross-linked polymer thin films maintain abundant free hydroxyl groups to present excellent antifogging property, which is derived from the hydrophilicity and hygroscopicity of the thin films. The thin films showed smart intrinsic self-healing characteristics towards wounds caused by external forces, which is attributed to sufficient free hydroxyl groups at the scratched interfaces to reform H-bonds across the interfaces and a sufficient chain mobility that is indispensable for chain diffusion across the interfaces and hydroxyl groups association to form H-bonds. No synthetic surfaces reported so far possess all the unique characteristics of the polymer thin films: intrinsic self-healing, long-term antifogging, excellent mechanical property, high transmittance and large-scale feasibility.
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