Conducting‐Polymer‐Based Materials for Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage

Abstract

and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). The highly conjugated polymer chains can be reversibly assigned electrochemical properties by a doping/dedoping process. [9][10][11] By regulating and controlling the level of doping, their conductivities can be tuned in a wide range, from 10 −10 to 10 4 S cm, spanning the entire range from insulators to semiconductors, to conductors. [12,13] Additionally, these conducting polymers retain the advantages of traditional polymers, such as low cost, convenient preparation, good affinity to many other materials, and high flexibility and durability. Recently, great efforts have been made to exploit the applications of conducting polymers as electrocatalysts for fuel cells and as electrode materials for supercapacitors. Considering the rapidly booming efforts undertaken in this cutting-edge research area, it is necessary to highlight the new discoveries and achievements in the past several years. Here, we introduce the latest advances in conducting-polymer-based materials for fuel cells and supercapacitors, and focus on the strategies employed to improve their electrocatalytic and electrochemical performance. Conducting-Polymer-Based Catalysts for Fuel CellsFuel cells are promising green energy-conversion devices that convert chemical energy of various fuels directly into electric energy under electrochemical redox reactions. This technology provides intriguing applications in portable energy sources [14,15] and has attracted increasing attention in recent years. [16][17][18][19] Such energy-conversion systems require highly efficient electrocatalysts to trigger the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) that occurs at the fuel cell's cathode. Platinum/ carbon (Pt/C) composite is demonstrated to be the most efficient catalyst used for fuel cells. [20][21][22] However, high price, scarcity, poor utilization efficiency, and easy carbon monoxide poisoning greatly limit its commercial applications. [23] Therefore, development of low-cost, stable, and efficient electrocatalysts for ORR is a major challenge in the field of fuel cells. [24][25][26][27][28] Owing to their highly tunable conductivity, good electrocatalytic activity, and satisfactory electrochemical stability, conducting polymers are considered to be promising electrocatalyst materials for the ORR. [29] Initially, conducting-polymer-based electrodes were fabricated through direct casting of neutral To alleviate the current energy crisis and environmental pollution, sustainable and ecofriendly energy conversion and storage systems are urgently needed. Due to their high conductivity, promising catalytic activity, and excellent electrochemical properties, conducting polymers have been attracting intense attention for use in electrochemical energy conversion and storage. Here, the latest advances regarding the utilization of conducting polymers for fuel cells and supercapacitors are introduced. The strategies employed to improve the electrocatalytic and electrochemical performances of conducting-polymerbased materials are prese...

Solvent treatment inducing ultralong cycle stability poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonic acid) fibers as binding‐free electrodes for supercapacitors

“…Generally, there are two categories of supercapacitors: electrical double layer capacitors, reserving energy via adsorbing ions on electrodes surface, and pseudo‐capacitors, which store energy via a fast redox reaction . In addition, electrodes offer an irreplaceable contribution in the storage capability of supercapacitor, which consist of carbon‐based materials, transition metal oxides, conducting polymers (CP S ), and their composites …”

MOFs for Electrocatalysis: From Serendipity to Design Strategies

“…Additionally, availability of large specific surface area with substantial porosity and high charge transfer capability are the prerequisites of the “ideal” electrocatalyst architecture. In this direction, a plethora of materials including carbon allotropes, metal chalcogenides, organometallic complexes, conducting polymers and their composites have been tested for their electrocatalytic activity. A recent class of porous materials, popularly known as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) or porous coordination polymers (PCPs) have been extensively explored as electrocatalysts or as precursors to derive efficient heterostructures owing to their synthetic flexibility besides customizable electronic and chemical properties .…”

Synergetic Effect of Perfluorooctanoic Acid on the Preparation of Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): Lignosulfonate Aqueous Dispersions with High Film Conductivity

“…Conducting polymers (CPs) including polyaniline, polyphenylenes, polypyrroles and polythiophenes have gained tremendous attention in a variety of fields ranged from organic electronic to biomedical applications because of their unique metal/semiconductor-like electrical properties and polymer-like mechanical advantages. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Among them, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), a polythiophene derivative, is nowadays the most famous and important CP due to its excellent film conductivity, unique long-term environmental stability and high optical transparency in the visible range. Moreover, PEDOT CP has the advantages of preparing simplicity and methodological diversity, such as chemical oxidation polymerization, vapour polymerization, electropolymerization and dispersion polymerization.…”