Diffusion-determined assembly of all-climate supercapacitors via bioinspired aligned gels. Issue 34 (13th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Jie; Wu, Dongbei; Wu, Chu; Wei, Gumi; Wei, Junjie; Tai, Ziyang; Xi, Songyan; Shen, Saiji; Wang, Qigang; Chen, Yonggui
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 7:Issue 34(2019)
• Page Start: 19753
• Page End: 19760
• Publication Date: 2019-08-13
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ta06880e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : Inspired by nature, we introduce superconcentrated LiTFSI solution into aligned polymer networks. These well-designed supercapacitors exhibit all-climate capacitance from −54 to 100 °C and maintain stable performance under consecutive bending conditions. Abstract : Inspired by the naturally occurring anti-freeze mechanisms of biological organisms, herein we introduce an ionic compound (LiTFSI) into zwitterionic polymer networks to enhance the anti-freezing performance of gels. The ionic diffusion of the high viscosity LiTFSI aqueous solution within the aligned gel endows the reswollen polymer electrolyte with excellent freeze-tolerance and high ionic conductivity. Interestingly, ion can act as binders to promote tight adhesion between the aligned gel electrolyte and a porous electrode. The resulting well-designed supercapacitors are superior to traditional PVA gel based devices with respect to their electrochemical window (2.5 V) and energy density (52.3 W h kg −1 ). Furthermore, the devices are facilely assembled, possess a broad range of working temperatures (−54 to 100 °C), and exhibit remarkable flexibility under consecutive bending conditions. Ultimately, this study provides new insight and motivation for the development of robust supercapacitors suitable for complex and harsh environments.