Characterizations and Inkjet Printing of Carbon Black Electrodes for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators.

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have been proposed as a promising technology for developing soft robotics and stretchable electronics due to their large actuation. Among available fabrication techniques, inkjet printing is a digital, mask-free, material-saving, and fast technology, making it versatile and appealing for fabricating DEA electrodes. However, there is still a lack of suitable materials for inkjet-printed electrodes.

Achieving Ultrahigh Energy Density and Long Durability in a Flexible Rechargeable Quasi-Solid-State Zn-MnO Battery.

Advanced flexible batteries with high energy density and long cycle life are an important research target. Herein, the first paradigm of a high-performance and stable flexible rechargeable quasi-solid-state Zn-MnO battery is constructed by engineering MnO electrodes and gel electrolyte. Benefiting from a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) buffer layer and a Mn -based neutral electrolyte, the fabricated Zn-MnO @PEDOT battery presents a remarkable capacity of 366.

Preparation of highly charged cellulose nanofibrils using high-pressure homogenization coupled with strong acid hydrolysis pretreatments.

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are attracting much attention for the advantages of excellent mechanical strength, good optical transparency, and high surface area. An eco-friendly and energy-saving method was created in this work to produce highly negative charged CNFs using high-pressure mechanical defibrillation coupled with strong acid hydrolysis pretreatments. The morphological development, zeta potential, crystal structure, chemical composition and thermal degradation behavior of the resultant materials were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).