Utilizing carboxymethyl cellulose sodium/sodium lignosulfonate hydrogel to build efficient electrolyte/electrode...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Interfacial contact is crucial for flexible supercapacitor performance.
• Existing hydrogel electrolytes face challenges in maintaining stable electrode contact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible hydrogel supercapacitor with improved interfacial adhesion and stability.
• To address the limitations of current hydrogel electrolytes in supercapacitor applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a multifunctional PC4L hydrogel with self-healing and adhesive properties via semi-interpenetrating polymer networks.
• In situ polymerization of composite electrode materials onto the hydrogel.
• Electrochemical characterization of the integrated supercapacitor.

Main Results:

• The PC4L hydrogel exhibited excellent tensile properties (1976%) and self-healing ability.
• The integrated supercapacitor achieved a high specific capacitance of 624.36 mF/cm² at 1 mA/cm².
• The supercapacitor demonstrated remarkable stability under deformation and 81.4% capacitance retention after 5 self-healing cycles.

Conclusions:

• The developed hydrogel supercapacitor offers a promising solution for stable and durable energy storage in flexible electronics.
• The interfacial integration strategy effectively enhances electrochemical performance and mechanical robustness.
• The self-healing and adhesive properties of the hydrogel contribute to long-term device reliability.