Maneuver of conducting polymers (CPs) into lightweight hydrogels can improve their functional performances in energy devices, chemical sensing, pollutant removal, drug delivery, etc. Current approaches for the manipulation of CP hydrogels are limited, and they are mostly accompanied by harsh conditions, tedious processing, compositing with other constituents, or using unusual chemicals. Herein, a two-step route is introduced for the controllable fabrication of CP hydrogels in ambient conditions, where gelation of the shape-anisotropic nano-oxidants followed by in-situ oxidative polymerization leads to the formation of polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole hydrogels. The method is readily coupled with different approaches for materials processing of PANI hydrogels into varied shapes, including spherical beads, continuous wires, patterned films, and free-standing objects. In comparison with their bulky counterparts, lightweight PANI items exhibit improved properties when those with specific shapes are used as electrodes for supercapacitors, gas sensors, or dye adsorbents. The current study therefore provides a general and controllable approach for the implementation of CP into hydrogels of varied external shapes, which can pave the way for the integration of lightweight CP structures with emerging functional devices.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smll.202309575 | DOI Listing |
Small
January 2025
Leicester Institute for Pharmaceutical Innovation, Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, LE1 9BH, UK.
Guiding molecular assembly of peptides into rationally engineered nanostructures remains a major hurdle against the development of functional peptide-based nanomaterials. Various non-covalent interactions come into play to drive the formation and stabilization of these assemblies, of which electrostatic interactions are key. Here, the atomistic mechanisms by which electrostatic interactions contribute toward controlling self-assembly and lateral association of ultrashort β-sheet forming peptides are deciphered.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Mater Chem B
January 2025
Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Hydrogels based on supramolecular assemblies offer attractive features for biomedical applications including injectability or versatile combinations of various building blocks. We here investigate a system combining benzenetrispeptides (BTP), which forms supramolecular fibers, with polymer polyethylene oxide (PEO) forming a dense hydrophilic shell around the fibers. Hydrogels are created through the addition of a bifunctional crosslinker (CL).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
January 2025
Graduate School of Energy Convergence, Institute of Integrated Technology, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
This study explores improving proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) by achieving both cost-effectiveness and enhanced efficiency through the replacement of the costly and environmentally challenging Nafion ionomer with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as an anode binder. HPMC, an eco-friendly and cost-effective material, was cross-linked with citric acid to form a durable hydrogel that enhances water and proton transport within the catalyst layer. Using the cross-linked HPMC binder allowed a reduction in cost to 1/54 compared to Nafion ionomer, while the performance of the cross-linked HPMC electrodes remained comparable to Nafion electrodes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolymers (Basel)
December 2024
School of Physical & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Joseph Priestley Building, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
Microgels, combining the properties of hydrogels and microparticles, are emerging as versatile materials for varied applications such as drug delivery and sensing, although the precise control of particle size remains a challenge. Advances in synthetic methodologies have provided new tools for tailoring of properties, however costs and scalability of the processes remains a limitation. We report here the water-based synthesis of a library of -isopropylacrylamide-based microgels covalently crosslinked with varying contents of ,-methylenebisacrylamide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
Flexible wearable sensors have obtained tremendous interest in various fields and conductive hydrogels are a promising candidate. Nevertheless, the insufficient mechanical properties, the low electrical conductivity and sensitivity, and the limited functional properties prevent the development of hydrogels as wearable sensors. In this study, an SFMA/BAChol/PAA/ZnCl hydrogel was fabricated with high mechanical strength and versatile comprehensive properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!