Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks for Enhanced Supercapacitor Electrodes

Abstract

Conducting polymers show great promise as supercapacitor materials due to their high theoretical specific capacitance, low cost, toughness, and flexibility. Poor ion mobility, however, can render active material more than a few tens of nanometers from the surface inaccessible for charge storage, limiting performance. Here, we use semi-interpenetrating networks (sIPNs) of a pseudocapacitive polymer in an ionically conductive polymer matrix to decrease ion diffusion length scales and make virtually all of the active material accessible for charge storage. Our freestanding poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEDOT/PEO) sIPN films yield simultaneous improvements in three crucial elements of supercapacitor performance: specific capacitance (182 F/g, a 70% increase over that of neat PEDOT), cycling stability (97.5% capacitance retention after 3000 cycles), and flexibility (the electrodes bend to a <200 μm radius of curvature without breaking). Our simple and controllable sIPN fabrication process presents a framework to develop a range of polymer-based interpenetrated materials for high-performance energy storage technologies.

Emerging Functional Porous Polymeric and Carbonaceous Materials for Environmental Treatment and Energy Storage

“…polymers, [433][434][435] such as poly(3,4e t h y l e n e d i o x y t h i o p h e n e ) : p o l y ( 4 -s t y r e n e s u l f o n a t e ) (PEDOT:PSS), polypyrrole (PPy), and polyaniline (PANi), have good electrical conductivities, unique conjugated chain structures and redox activities, and thus enable high specific capacitances. To construct the conducting polymers with porous architecture, Ma's group [435] reported a strong and robust conducting polymer hydrogel by virtue of dynamic boronate bond as functional group to crosslink polyaniline and polyvinyl alcohol, yielding polyaniline-polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel (PPH).…”

Efficient adsorption of Cd(ІІ) ions from aqueous media onto a semi‐interpenetrating bio‐composite

“…A controllable s‐IPN fabrication process presents a framework to develop a range of polymer‐based interpenetrated materials for high‐performance energy‐storage technologies. Furthermore, a considerable proportion of the world's population needs those polymeric materials for drug delivery, wound dressing, artificial cartilage materials, and other medical purposes, where the development of alternative polymeric materials has become vital …”

“…Furthermore, a considerable proportion of the world's population needs those polymeric materials for drug delivery, wound dressing, artificial cartilage materials, and other medical purposes, where the development of alternative polymeric materials has become vital. 20,21 Water pollution is one of the main environmental hazards that affects human health, water resources, and ecosystems. Heavy metals are a great concern to both the environment and public health communities.…”

Polythiophene Grafted onto Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotubes through Oligo(ethylene oxide) Linkages for Supercapacitor Devices with Enhanced Electrochemical Performance

“…[25][26][27][28] Meanwhile, the hydrophilic property of the ethylene oxide groups can enhance the polarity of the material, improving its ability to swell with aqueous electrolyte. [29] What's more, the flexible oligo(ethylene oxide) groups would provide free space for stabilizing the volumetric change and the chemical bond would prevent PD2ET from falling off the SWCNTs, these factors can alleviate the damage during the long-term charge-discharge processes. [30] As expected, owing to the reasonable nanotubular structure, sufficient active sites, remarkable electrical conductivity and hydrophilic linkages introduction, the as-obtained PD2ET-g-SWCNTs composite exhibited remarkable enhanced electrochemical performances than those of the individual component and a physical mixed sample of PD2ET and SWCNTs-COOH.…”