All-glycerogel stretchable supercapacitor with stable performance in a wide temperature window from −20 to 80 °C

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2024-09, Vol.496, p.153856, Article 153856
• Main Authors: Rama Varma, Adith Varma, Das, Tapas, Mredha, Md. Tariful Islam, Gupta, Tanish, Raulo, Avinash, Lee, Dongwoo, Lee, Wonoh, Jung, Seunghun, Todo, Mitsugu, Jeon, Insu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Capacitance retention; Glycerogel electrode; Glycerogel electrolyte; Self-healing; Stretchability; Wide-temperature applicability
• ISSN: 1385-8947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.153856

[Display omitted] •An all-glycerogel-based anti-freezing and anti-drying supercapacitor is developed.•Heat-mediated electrode–electrolyte self-healing prevents delamination problems.•The device areal capacitance retention is 93.27% at 80 °C and 90.92% at −20 °C.•The areal capacitance remains constant under stretching, bending, and twisting.•81% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles and 100% stretchability are achieved. Stretchable supercapacitors (s-SCs) are extensively used in portable and wearable smart electronic devices. However, existing s-SCs exhibit low electrical conductivity/stretchability, weak electrode/electrolyte interfaces, and limited operational temperatures, which severely limit their practical applications. Accordingly, we have developed a stretchable glycerogel supercapacitor (s-GGSC) addressing these limitations. Electrode is fabricated by glycerol-mediated robust integration of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate through a simple strategy of partial drying–reswelling and thermal annealing. This eliminates the conventional trade-off between electrical conductivity and stretchability and provides adaptability to wide temperature ranges (−20 to 80 °C). A compatible electrolyte is also fabricated using poly(vinyl alcohol), lithium perchlorate, and glycerol. Heat-mediated facile exchange of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding enables robust bonding between the electrode and electrolyte in the developed s-GGSC, thus solving interfacial problems under harsh mechanical conditions. The high electrical conductivity (1089 ± 49 S m−1) and fracture strain (232%) of the electrode preclude the use of an additional current collector. s-GGSC exhibits areal capacitance retentions of 90.92% and 93.27% after 7 d of incubation at −20 and 80 °C, respectively, and excellent cycling stability (81.48% capacitance retention) after 10,000 cycles. Furthermore, the areal capacitance of the device remains constant after intense mechanical deformations, such as bending, twisting, and stretching. s-GGSC outperforms existing flexible and/or stretchable supercapacitors under harsh conditions, confirming its suitability as a potential power source for wearable and stretchable smart electronic devices.