Redox-Active Gel Electrolyte Combined with Branched Polyaniline Nanofibers Doped with Ferrous Ions for Ultra-High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors

Effects of Polymerization Time towards Conductivity and Properties of Poly(methyl methacrylate)/Polyaniline (PMMA/PANi) Copolymer

The effects of various polymerization times on the properties and conductivity of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polyaniline (PMMA/PANi) copolymer has been investigated. Different polymerization times, such as 1 h, 2 h, and 3 h, have been employed during free radical copolymerization of PMMA/PANi copolymer. The properties of newly synthesized PMMA/PANi copolymer were discussed with the help of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. All copolymers showed electrical conductivity of a semi-conductor material, compared with PMMA itself. It was found that the reaction played a significant role, especially at optimum polymerization time, where PANi formation and conductivity was at its highest. Our present work demonstrates that copolymer film could be a promising material to fabricate polymer conducting film in many electronics applications.

Conductive dual hydrogen bonding hydrogels for the electrical stimulation of infected chronic wounds

Electrical stimulation (ES) via rigid electrodes near the wound is one of the promising approaches for chronic wound treatment, but it is unable to stimulate the whole wound area and treat infected wounds. In this study, a tough conductive hydrogel was prepared by the copolymerization of N-acryloyl glycinamide (NAGA) with quaternized chitosan-g-polyaniline (QCSP). The hydrogel showed a similar conductivity to the human skin and robust mechanical properties due to the dual hydrogen bonding motifs. The grafted polyaniline segments and functionalized quaternary ammonium groups showed intense antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. The in vivo assay in diabetic rats proves that the ES via the conductive hydrogel was more effective in promoting the healing of infected wounds than the conventional ES via rigid electrodes. Due to the excellent flexibility and antibacterial properties, this conductive hydrogel shows great promise for infected chronic wound treatment.

Recent Advances in Graphene and Conductive Polymer Composites for Supercapacitor Electrodes: A Review

Supercapacitors (SCs) have generated a great deal of interest regarding their prospects for application in energy storage due to their advantages such as long life cycles and high-power density. Graphene is an excellent electrode material for SCs due to its high electric conductivity and highly specific surface area. Conductive polymers (CPs) could potentially become the next-generation SC electrodes because of their low cost, facile synthesis methods, and high pseudocapacitance. Graphene/CP composites show conspicuous electrochemical performance when used as electrode materials for SCs. In this article, we present and summarize the synthesis and electrochemical performance of graphene/CP composites for SCs. Additionally, the method for synthesizing electrode materials for better electrochemical performance is discussed.

Ionic Liquid Electrolytes for Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices

For decades, improvements in electrolytes and electrodes have driven the development of electrochemical energy storage devices. Generally, electrodes and electrolytes should not be developed separately due to the importance of the interaction at their interface. The energy storage ability and safety of energy storage devices are in fact determined by the arrangement of ions and electrons between the electrode and the electrolyte. In this paper, the physicochemical and electrochemical properties of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors using ionic liquids (ILs) as an electrolyte are reviewed. Additionally, the energy storage device ILs developed over the last decade are introduced.

Synthesis and Conductivity Studies of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA) by Co-Polymerization and Blending with Polyaniline (PANi)

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a lightweight insulating polymer that possesses good mechanical stability. On the other hand, polyaniline (PANi) is one of the most favorable conducting materials to be used, as it is easily synthesized, cost-effective, and has good conductivity. However, most organic solvents have restricted potential applications due to poor mechanical properties and dispersibility. Compared to PANi, PMMA has more outstanding physical and chemical properties, such as good dimensional stability and better molecular interactions between the monomers. To date, many research studies have focused on incorporating PANi into PMMA. In this review, the properties and suitability of PANi as a conducting material are briefly reviewed. The major parts of this paper reviewed different approaches to incorporating PANi into PMMA, as well as evaluating the modifications to improve its conductivity. Finally, the polymerization condition to prepare PMMA/PANi copolymer to improve its conductivity is also discussed.

Electrodeposited Polyaniline Nanofibers and MoO3 Nanobelts for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitor with Redox Active Electrolyte

Transition molybdenum oxides (MoO3) and conductive polymer (polyaniline, PANI) nanomaterials were fabricated and asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was assembled with MoO3 nanobelts as negative electrode and PANI nanofibers as a positive electrode. Branched PANI nanofibers with a diameter of 100 nm were electrodeposited on Ti mesh substrate and MoO3 nanobelts with width of 30-700 nm were obtained by the hydrothermal reaction method in an autoclave. Redox active electrolyte containing 0.1 M Fe2+/3+ redox couple was adopted in order to enhance the electrochemical performance of the electrode nano-materials. As a result, the PANI electrode shows a great capacitance of 3330 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 in 0.1 M Fe2+/3+/0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte. The as-assembled ASC achieved a great energy density of 54 Wh kg-1 at power density of 900 W kg-1. In addition, it displayed significant cycle stability and its capacitance even increased to 109% of the original value after 1000 charge-discharge cycles. The superior performance of the capacitors indicates their promising application as energy storage devices.