Advances in Damping Gel Materials: From Characterization and Design to Applications

Abstract

ABSTRACT As a polymer soft material, gels have recently gained attention for their exceptional energy dissipation capabilities. They mitigate vibrations and noise by converting mechanical energy into heat through internal friction and viscous flow. Their tunable viscoelasticity makes them promising for use in wearable electronics, bionic robots, precision instruments, and bioengineering. However, the field lacks comprehensive reviews, standardized characterization methods, and clear design principles. This review systematically examines recent advances in damping gel research. It first establishes a conceptual framework for damping phenomena in gels and pioneers a compilation of quantitative characterization methods to standardize performance evaluation. The article elaborates on the underlying damping mechanisms and introduces innovative strategies for constructing high‐performance, energy‐dissipating gel networks from multiple dimensions. Furthermore, it summarizes the diverse application fields of damping gel technology. Finally, the review highlights persistent challenges in stability, damping capacity, and practicality, while proposing forward‐looking directions for future scientific and technological development.