During the last few years, different kinds of autonomic and non-autonomic self-healing materials have been prepared using diverse techniques for a number of applications. The incorporation of suitable functionalities into these materials facilitates a healing mechanism that is triggered by damage/rupture as well as various chemistries. This article presents a detailed study of the self-healing properties of different kinds of polymer nanocomposites utilizing a number of healing mechanisms, including the addition of several healing agents. The article will also provide an overview of different chemistries employed in the preparation of self-healing polymer nanocomposites, along with their advantages and disadvantages. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.