Polymer Gels in Electrochemistry

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Chemistry and Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 4434

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Polymers, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, PL-60965 Poznan, Poland
Interests: photopolymerization; polymer electrolytes - synthesis and application; ionogels; hydrogels; statistical analysis; kinetic of photopolymerization
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E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Polymers, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, PL-60965 Poznan, Poland
Interests: photopolymerization; nanocomposites; hybrid polymeric materials; solid-state electrolytes; polymer gels; photocurable coatings; biomaterials; polymers in pharmacy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Polymers, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, PL-60965 Poznan, Poland
Interests: polymers; star polymer; ATRP; chemical physic; polymerization kinetics; photopolymerization; biopolymers; drug delivery systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electrolytes play a crucial role in energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors. However, the use of liquid electrolytes leads to the possibility of their leakage. In turn, solid electrolytes ensure safety and high mechanical properties, but at the same time, have a very low conductivity. Therefore, gel electrolytes seem to be the solution. They present high ionic conductivity while remaining solid and preventing leakage. Thanks to the considerable modification possibilities regarding their composition, it is possible to regulate their ionic conductivity and mechanical properties depending on the requirements. Therefore, there is great potential for their application in energy storage devices. Depending on the nature of the applied electrolyte, it is possible to synthesize the hydrogels containing a water solution of different salts, ionogels containing ionic liquids and organogels containing salt dissolved in organic solvents. Each group of gel electrolytes is characterized by different properties and could be use in different electrochemical applications.

Dr. Piotr Gajewski
Dr. Agnieszka Marcinkowska
Dr. Katarzyna Szcześniak
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • gel electrolytes
  • polymer electrolytes
  • ionogels
  • hydrogels
  • organogels
  • ionic conductivity
  • batteries
  • supercapacitors
  • solid-state electrochemical devices
  • polyelectrolyte gels
  • electrochemical energy storage

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 3643 KiB  
Article
Crosslinked Gel Polymer Electrolyte from Trimethylolpropane Triglycidyl Ether by In Situ Polymerization for Lithium-Ion Batteries
by Lei Jin, Hyunmin Lim, Wansu Bae, Subeen Song, Kijong Joo, Hohyoun Jang and Whangi Kim
Gels 2024, 10(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10010040 - 2 Jan 2024
Viewed by 2171
Abstract
Electrolytes play a critical role in battery performance. They are associated with an increased risk of safety issues. The main challenge faced by many researchers is how to balance the physical and electrical properties of electrolytes. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) have received increasing [...] Read more.
Electrolytes play a critical role in battery performance. They are associated with an increased risk of safety issues. The main challenge faced by many researchers is how to balance the physical and electrical properties of electrolytes. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) have received increasing attention due to their satisfactory properties of ionic conductivity, mechanical stability, and safety. Herein, we develop a gel network polymer electrolyte (GNPE) to address the challenge mentioned earlier. This GNPE was formed by tri-epoxide monomer and bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide lithium salt (LiFSI) via an in situ cationic polymerization under mild thermal conditions. The obtained GNPE exhibited a relatively high ionic conductivity (σ) of 2.63 × 10−4 S cm−1, lithium transference number (tLi+, 0.58) at room temperature (RT), and intimate electrode compatibility with LiFePO4 and graphite. The LiFePO4/GNPE/graphite battery also showed a promising cyclic performance at RT, e.g., a suitable discharge specific capacity of 127 mAh g−1 and a high Coulombic efficiency (>97%) after 100 cycles at 0.2 C. Moreover, electrolyte films showed good mechanical stability and formed the SEI layer on the graphite anode. This study provides a facile method for preparing epoxy-based electrolytes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels in Electrochemistry)
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13 pages, 2882 KiB  
Article
Hydrogel Polymer Electrolytes: Synthesis, Physicochemical Characterization and Application in Electrochemical Capacitors
by Piotr Gajewski, Wiktoria Żyła, Klaudia Kazimierczak and Agnieszka Marcinkowska
Gels 2023, 9(7), 527; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels9070527 - 28 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1647
Abstract
Electrochemical capacitors operating in an aqueous electrolyte solution have become ever-more popular in recent years, mainly because they are cheap and ecofriendly. Additionally, aqueous electrolytes have a higher ionic conductivity than organic electrolytes and ionic liquids. These materials can exist in the form [...] Read more.
Electrochemical capacitors operating in an aqueous electrolyte solution have become ever-more popular in recent years, mainly because they are cheap and ecofriendly. Additionally, aqueous electrolytes have a higher ionic conductivity than organic electrolytes and ionic liquids. These materials can exist in the form of a liquid or a solid (hydrogel). The latter form is a very promising alternative to liquid electrolytes because it is solid, which prevents electrolyte leakage. In our work, hydrogel polymer electrolytes (HPEs) were obtained via photopolymerization of a mixture of acrylic oligomer Exothane 108 with methacrylic acid (MAA) in ethanol, which was later replaced by electrolytes (1 M Na2SO4). Through the conducted research, the effects of the monomers ratio and the organic solvent concentration (ethanol) on the mechanical properties (tensile test), electrolyte sorption, and ionic conductivity were examined. Finally, hydrogel polymer electrolytes with high ionic conductivity (σ = 26.5 mS∙cm−1) and sufficient mechanical stability (σmax = 0.25 MPa, εmax = 20%) were tested using an AC/AC electrochemical double layer capacitor (EDLC). The electrochemical properties of the devices were investigated via cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and impedance spectroscopy. The obtained results show the application potential of the obtained HPE in EDLC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels in Electrochemistry)
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