Hydrogels: Promising Energy Storage Materials

Abstract

Energy is essential for the economic growth of any country. There is a strong demand for the development of materials that can show potential towards higher power density and energy density. In this article, a promising class of polymeric materials, hydrogels have been discussed as an energy storage material. The hydrogels are advantageous as they possess in them the unique combination of organic conductors and conventional polymers. The article covers the synthetic approach of hydrogels which includes both the conventional synthesis and the new routes adopted followed by the application of hydrogels as energy storage materials. Finally, the future opportunities and prospects in the development of hydrogels as advanced energy storage materials are highlighted.[a] Dr.

Recent Progress in Ruthenium Oxide‐Based Composites for Supercapacitor Applications

“…Hydrogels are unique because of its nature such as self-supporting, porous, three-dimensional (3D) visco-elastic network. [237] Normally, such types of hydrogels are obtained by following a simple, one-step hydrothermal technique. A three-dimensional (3D) porous framework of RuO 2 /rGOhydrogel with loading of 15 % Ru content in it established specific capacitance of 345 F g À 1 with good rate capability and cycling life.…”

“…To make easier and shorter pathways for charge/mass diffusion, a hydrogel form of composites are used in the supercapacitor fabrication. Hydrogels are unique because of its nature such as self‐supporting, porous, three‐dimensional (3D) visco‐elastic network . Normally, such types of hydrogels are obtained by following a simple, one‐step hydrothermal technique.…”

Self-Healable Magnetic Structural Color Hydrogels

“…Structural colors, arising from the physical interaction of periodic nanostructures with light, have gained extensive attention because of them being widespread in nature. − Inspired by these nature examples, numerous types of bio-inspired structural color materials have been developed. − Among them, structural color hydrogels are one of the most promising class of materials and have been widely applied in the development of optical devices, wearable electronics, colorimetric sensors, anticounterfeit labels, and so forth. − Various strategies have been developed for constructing structural color hydrogel systems, and these integrated systems are mainly oriented toward the biomedical field. − In spite of great progress being made in the research of structural color hydrogels, their biocompatibility is not ideal or ubiquitous, which limits their practical applications, such as in the case of polyacrylamide hydrogels . Meanwhile, the deterioration and abrasion of these structural color hydrogels during applications are inevitable; thus, self-healable materials are necessary.…”

Hydrogel Leclanché Cell: Construction and Characterization

“…Hydrogels are characterized by polymeric networks than can absorb a significant amount of water and become swollen granting new physical properties, such as physical stability and ionic conductivity [14]. Hydrogels as energy storage materials have seen recent interest and have been used in a variety of electronic devices such as capacitors, sensors, and scaffolds for catalysis [15][16][17][18]. Excitingly, there has been some research and characterization of the zinc MnO2 alkaline cell in gel form, but the application and reproducibility has yet to be demonstrated [19].…”