Pomegranate Peel-Derived Hard Carbons as Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Exploring high-performance carbon anodes that are low-cost and easily accessible is the key to the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries. Producing carbon materials from bio by-products is an intriguing strategy for sodium-ion battery anode manufacture and for high-value utilization of biomass. Herein, a novel hard carbon (PPHC) was prepared via a facile pyrolysis process followed by acid treatment using biowaste pomegranate peel as the precursor.

Nanocomposites of Conducting Polymers and 2D Materials for Flexible Supercapacitors.

Flexible supercapacitors (FSCs) with high electrochemical and mechanical performance are inevitably necessary for the fabrication of integrated wearable systems. Conducting polymers with intrinsic conductivity and flexibility are ideal active materials for FSCs. However, they suffer from poor cycling stability due to huge volume variations during operation cycles.

A PVDF/g-CN-Based Composite Polymer Electrolytes for Sodium-Ion Battery.

As one of the most promising candidates for all-solid-state sodium-ion batteries and sodium-metal batteries, polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and amorphous hexafluoropropylene (HFP) copolymerized polymer solid electrolytes still suffer from a relatively low room temperature ionic conductivity. To modify the properties of PVDF-HEP copolymer electrolytes, we introduce the graphitic CN (g-CN) nanosheets as a novel nanofiller to form g-CN composite solid polymer electrolytes (CSPEs). The analysis shows that the g-CN filler can not only modify the structure in g-CNCSPEs by reducing the crystallinity, compared to the PVDF-HFP solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), but also promote a further dissociation with the sodium salt through interaction between the surface atoms of the g-CN and the sodium salt.

Graphene Composite via Bacterial Cellulose Assisted Liquid Phase Exfoliation for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

One of the most critical challenges for commercialization of sodium-ion battery (SIB) is to develop carbon anodes with high capacity and good rate performance. Graphene would be an excellent SIB anode candidate due to its success in various kinds of batteries. Liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) method is an inexpensive, facile and potentially scalable method to produce less-defected graphene sheets.

A rechargeable Mg|O battery.

Rechargeable Mg|O batteries (RMOBs) offer several advantages over alkali metal-based battery systems owing to Mg's ease of transport/storage in ambient environment, low cost originating from its high abundance, as well as the high theoretical specific energy of RMOBs. However, research on RMOBs has been stagnant for the past decade, largely owing to unacceptably poor electrochemical performance. Here, we present a RMOB that employs Mg anode, Mg((CFSO)N)-MgCl in diglyme (G2) electrolyte, and commercial Pt/C on carbon fiber paper (Pt/C@CFP) oxygen cathode.

Re-Stickable Yarn Supercapacitors with Vaper Phase Polymerized Multi-Layered Polypyrrole Electrodes for Smart Garments.

Yarn supercapacitors have attracted significant attention for wearable energy storage due to their ability to be directly integrated with garments. Conducting polymer polypyrrole (PPy) based yarn supercapacitors show limited cycling stability because of the huge volume changes during the charge-discharge processes. In addition, laundering may cause damage to such yarn supercapacitors.

Electrical Stimulation with a Conductive Polymer Promotes Neurite Outgrowth and Synaptogenesis in Primary Cortical Neurons in 3D.

Deficits in neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis have been recognized as an underlying developmental aetiology of psychosis. Electrical stimulation promotes neuronal induction including neurite outgrowth and branching. However, the effect of electrical stimulation using 3D electrodes on neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis has not been explored.

A "Tandem" Strategy to Fabricate Flexible Graphene/Polypyrrole Nanofiber Film Using the Surfactant-Exfoliated Graphene for Supercapacitors.

The surfactant-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation of expanded graphite can produce graphene sheets in large quantities with minimal defects. However, it is difficult to completely remove the surfactant from the final product, thus affecting the electrochemical properties of the produced graphene. In this article, a novel approach to fabricate flexible graphene/polypyrrole film was developed: using surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a template for growth of polypyrrole nanofibers (PPyNFs) instead of removal after the exfoliation process; followed by a simple filtration method.

A Cytocompatible Robust Hybrid Conducting Polymer Hydrogel for Use in a Magnesium Battery.

A cytocompatible robust hybrid conducting-polymer hydrogel, polypyrrole/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) is developed. This hydrogel is suitable for electrode-cellular applications. It demonstrates a high battery performance when coupled with a bioresorbable Mg alloy in phosphate-buffered saline.

Novel reversible and switchable electrolytes based on magneto-rheology.

Replacing organic liquid electrolytes with solid electrolytes has led to a new perspective on batteries, enabling high-energy battery chemistry with intrinsically safe cell designs. However, most solid/gel electrolytes are easily deformed; under extreme deformation, leakage and/or short-circuiting can occur. Here, we report a novel magneto-rheological electrolyte (MR electrolyte) that responds to changes in an external magnetic field; the electrolyte exhibits low viscosity in the absence of a magnetic field and increased viscosity or a solid-like phase in the presence of a magnetic field.

One-step synthesis of graphene/polypyrrole nanofiber composites as cathode material for a biocompatible zinc/polymer battery.

The significance of developing implantable, biocompatible, miniature power sources operated in a low current range has become manifest in recent years to meet the demands of the fast-growing market for biomedical microdevices. In this work, we focus on developing high-performance cathode material for biocompatible zinc/polymer batteries utilizing biofluids as electrolyte. Conductive polymers and graphene are generally considered to be biocompatible and suitable for bioengineering applications.

Intrinsically stretchable supercapacitors composed of polypyrrole electrodes and highly stretchable gel electrolyte.

There has been an emerging interest in stretchable power sources compatible with flexible/wearable electronics. Such power sources must be able to withstand large mechanical strains and still maintain function. Here we report a highly stretchable H3PO4-poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer electrolyte obtained by optimizing the polymer molecular weight and its weight ratio to H3PO4 in terms of conductivity and mechanical properties.