An Intrinsically Stretchable and Compressible Supercapacitor Containing a Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Electrolyte

作者:Huang, Yan; Zhong, Ming; Shi, Fukuan; Liu, Xiaoying; Tang, Zijie; Wang, Yukun; Huang, Yang; Hou, Haoqing; Xie, Xuming*; Zhi, Chunyi*
来源:Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 2017, 56(31): 9141-9145.
DOI:10.1002/anie.201705212

摘要

Stretchability and compressibility of supercapacitors is an essential element of modern electronics, such as flexible, wearable devices. Widely used polyvinyl alcohol-based electrolytes are neither very stretchable nor compressible, which fundamentally limits the realization of supercapacitors with high stretchability and compressibility. A new electrolyte that is intrinsically super-stretchable and compressible is presented. Vinyl hybrid silica nanoparticle cross-linkers were introduced into polyacrylamide hydrogel backbones to promote dynamic cross-linking of the polymer networks. These cross-linkers serve as stress buffers to dissipate energy when strain is applied, providing a solution to the intrinsically low stretchability and compressibility shortcomings of conventional supercapacitors. The newly developed supercapacitor and electrolyte can be stretched up to an unprecedented 1000% strain with enhanced performance, and compressed to 50% strain with good retention of the initial performance.