Self-healable and eco-friendly hydrogels for flexible supercapacitors

One limitation of wearable electronics, and at the same time a challenge, is the lack of energy storage devices with multiple functionalities produced using clean and environmental-friendly strategies. Here, a multifunctional conductive hydrogel containing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) an...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Babeli Aguilera, Ismael, Ruano Torres, Guillem, Puiggalí Jou, Anna|||0000-0002-2234-9436, Ginebra Molins, Maria Pau|||0000-0002-4700-5621, Alemán Llansó, Carlos|||0000-0003-4462-6075, García Torres, José Manuel|||0000-0002-3996-0274
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/343788
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/343788
https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adsu.202000273
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Supercapacitors
PEDOT:PSS-alginate hydrogel
flexibility
sustainability
self-healing
electrochemical supercapacitor
Supercondensadors
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria electrònica
Descripción
Sumario:One limitation of wearable electronics, and at the same time a challenge, is the lack of energy storage devices with multiple functionalities produced using clean and environmental-friendly strategies. Here, a multifunctional conductive hydrogel containing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and alginate was fabricated, to be used as electrodes in supercapacitors, by applying water-mediated self-assembly and polymerization processes at room temperature. The interpenetration of both polymers allowed combining flexibility and self-healing properties within the same hydrogel together with the intrinsic biocompatibility and sustainability of such materials. Initially, PEDOT : polystyrene sulfonate and alginate aqueous solutions were mixed in two different proportions (1:1 and 1:3) and ionically cross-linked with CaCl2. Subsequently, re-interpenetration of poly(hydroxymethyl-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PHMeDOT) by anodic polymerization in CaCl2 aqueous solution was achieved. Re-interpenetrated 1:3 PEDOT/alginate hydrogels showed excellent capacitance values (35 mF/cm2) and good capacitance retention. On the other hand, the electrochemical properties were not significantly changed after many cutting/self-healing cycles as was observed by cyclic voltammetry. Therefore, this sustainably produced hydrogel shows promising properties as wearable energy storage devices.