Polyacrylamide/Copper-Alginate Double Network Hydrogel Electrolyte with Excellent Mechanical Properties and...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Double network (DN) hydrogels offer versatile applications but achieving excellent mechanical properties remains a challenge.
• Developing robust and functional hydrogel electrolytes is crucial for advanced material applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel polyacrylamide/copper-alginate double network (PAM/Cu-alg DN) hydrogel electrolyte with enhanced mechanical properties and ionic conductivity.
• To investigate the effects of sodium alginate content, absorbed dose, and cupric ion concentration on the hydrogel's properties.

Main Methods:

• Radiation-induced polymerization of acrylamide and N, N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide.
• Cupric ion (Cu2+) crosslinking of alginate.
• Characterization using FTIR, TGA, SEM, and XPS.

Main Results:

• The synthesized PAM/Cu-alg DN hydrogel electrolyte demonstrated superior mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 2.25 ± 0.02 MPa.
• Achieved high ionic conductivity of 4.08 ± 0.17 mS cm-1, excellent energy dissipation, strain-sensitivity, cyclic stability, and durability.
• Detailed analysis confirmed the mechanisms behind the improved mechanical performance.

Conclusions:

• Successful synthesis of PAM/Cu-alg DN hydrogel electrolyte via radiation and Cu2+ crosslinking.
• The developed hydrogel exhibits a promising combination of mechanical robustness and ionic conductivity.
• This work presents a new pathway for preparing high-performance DN hydrogel electrolytes.