Polymer Gel Research Articles

Single-ion conductor gel polymer electrolytes enabling an anionic polymer-induced solid electrolyte interphase for dendrite-free lithium-metal batteries

A novel 3D crosslinked single-ion conductor gel polymer electrolyte to construct an anionic polymer-induced SEI can achieve low interfacial impedance, a stable electrolyte/electrode interface, and effective suppression of lithium dendrite growth.

Contriving a gel polymer electrolyte to drive quasi-solid-state high-voltage Li metal batteries at ultralow temperatures

A simple gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) for low-temperature operation is designed with multifunctional components, enabling fast ion transport and stable interface. Li//LCO cells with the GPE achieve high capacity and stable cycling even at −60 °C.

An amide-based gel polymer electrolyte for Li-O2 batteries: advancing towards practical Li-air batteries.

This study introduces an amide-based gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) for Li-O2 batteries, optimizing monomer and plasticizer ratios to enhance electrochemical stability and cycling performance. The GPE addresses sluggish kinetics and anode corrosion, enabling operation under atmospheric conditions, and demonstrating significant durability for practical Li-air batteries.

A biodegradable gel polymer membrane derived from poly-gamma-glutamic acid for high-rate and long-lifespan sodium metal batteries

A biodegradable gel polymer membrane derived from poly-gamma-glutamic acid for high-rate and long-lifespan sodium metal batteries

In-situ forming flame-retardant gel polymer electrolyte through Ritter reaction: An innovative strategy for enhancing the safety of lithium metal battery

In-situ forming flame-retardant gel polymer electrolyte through Ritter reaction: An innovative strategy for enhancing the safety of lithium metal battery

Capsaicin nanocrystals burdened topical polymeric gel: An encouraging tactic for alleviation of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is triggered by clinically recommended chemotherapeutics. Topical capsaicin (CAP) is a US-FDA-approved therapeutic entity for the mitigation of CIPN. Besides good skin permeation efficiency, CAP concentration in a topical dermal dosage form must be controlled due to its dose-dependent therapeutic and adverse effects. Therefore, in the present investigation, capsaicin nanocrystals (CAP-NCs) were scaled up using the nanoprecipitation technique. CAP-NCs exhibited 145.4±0.90nm particle size, 0.254±0.005 polydispersity index (PDI), -17.2±0.80mV surface charge (ζ), and markedly higher cumulative percentage drug release (85.68±0.89%) compared to pure CAP (12.56±0.57%) in 12h. Later, capsaicin nanocrystals burdened polymeric gel (CAP-NCs-Gel) was characterized using analytical and spectral techniques. Furthermore, CAP-NCs-Gel depicted remarkable textural properties, and desirable viscosity along with∼2.23-fold enhancement in permeability, ∼1.61-fold augmentation of CAP steady-state flux, and permeability coefficient. Additionally, the in vivo therapeutic efficacy assessment of CAP-NCs-Gel in the paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) demonstrated remarkable improvements in mechanical hyperalgesia, heat hyperalgesia, cold allodynia, and locomotor behavior. Capsaicin nanocrystals burdened polymeric gel once-a-day (CAP-NCs-Gel-OD) and twice-a-day (CAP-NCs-Gel-TD) applications outstandingly diminished the levels of TNF-α (P<0.0001) and IL-6 (P<0.01) in the sciatic nerve homogenate in contrast to the positive control group and insignificant difference (P>0.05) was noticed compared to the normal control group. Correspondingly, significant modulation of oxidative stress biomarkers, and noticeable regeneration of nerve fibers, a typical arrangement of the axon, with preserved intact myelin sheath integrity were professed in sciatic nerve; aimed at diminishing neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and mitigating nerve damage in PIPN. In conclusion, CAP-NCs-Gel is a top-notch nanotherapeutic for translating into a clinically viable dosage form for treating CIPN.

Theoretical Study of the Structural and Electronic Properties of NIPAM Polymer Dosimetry Gel

Background: Gel dosimeters consist of two types: Frick and Polymer, with compounds that are highly reactive to radiation. Objective: The difference in energy between the Highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) was investigated. Methods: An examination of the structure of a dosimetry gel polymer of type N- sopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) was carried out with the assistance of the Gaussian 09 software, the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), the proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR-C NMR), and the ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) approach were used. The molecular geometry was determined using density functional theory (DFT) (B3LYP) and computational means. Subsequently, this molecule’s vibrational frequencies and electrical characteristics were examined, with the ground state represented by the 6-31G basis. The computations of the structure, as well as the vibrational frequencies and chemical shift, demonstrated a satisfactory theoretical approximation. Results: Based on the findings, it has been shown that NIPAM has a high-water solubility and is of great assistance in the process of introducing a powerful polar amide group into a hydrophobic polymer via the use of suspension or emulsion polymerization, and strong coupling effect (interaction of magnetic fields) between the hydrogen atoms and the deformation. Conclusions: The atoms within the structure, the molecule is highly reactive, the computed results demonstrated the accuracy of the theoretical approximation despite these discrepancies.

Enhancing Microdomain Consistency in Polymer Electrolytes towards Sustainable Lithium Batteries.

Polymer electrolytes incorporated with fillers possess immense potential for constructing the fast and selective Li+ conduction. However, the inhomogeneous distribution of the fillers usually deteriorates the microdomain consistency of the electrolytes, resulting in uneven Li+ flux, and unstable electrode-electrolyte interfaces. Herein, we formulate a solution-process chemistry to in situ construct gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) with well-dispersed metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), leading to a uniform microdomain structure. Through the integration of X-ray computed tomography analyses and theoretical simulations, our research identifies that the improvement of microdomain consistency in GPEs is beneficial for enhancing its mechanical strength, homogenizing ionic/electronic field distribution and upgrading the interface stability with the elctrodes. Moreover, consistently spread MOFs bind effectively with Lewis-base anions of Li salts, enhancing Li+ kinetics. Owing to these advantages, the developed GPEs achieve a high conductivity of 1.51 mS cm-1 and a Li+ transference number of 0.66, resulting in exceptional cyclability of lithium metal electrodes (over 1800 hours). Additionally, the solid-state NCM811//Li pouch batteries exhibit an impressive capacity retention of 94.2 % over 200 cycles with an N/P ratio of 1.69. This study emphasizes the significant impact of microdomain structural chemistry on the advancement of solid-state batteries.

In Situ Polymerized Fluorine‐Free Ether Gel Polymer Electrolyte with Stable Interface for High‐Voltage Lithium Metal Batteries

AbstractLithium metal batteries offer increased energy density compared to traditional lithium‐ion batteries. Commercial carbonate‐based electrolytes are incompatible with lithium metal anodes, while ether‐based electrolytes, though more suitable, tend to degrade under high potentials. Here, a fluorine‐free ether‐based gel polymer electrolyte (FEGPE) has been developed via incorporating lithium bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)azanide (LiTFSI) as lithium salt, 1,2‐dimethoxyethane (DME) and 1,3‐dioxolane (DOL) as solvents, and indium trifluoromethanesulphonate (In(OTF)3) as an initiator. DME is used to promote dissolution of the In(OTF)3 in DOL, along with enhanced ion transport of the FEGPE. Compared to traditional ether‐based liquid electrolytes, the FEGPE demonstrates significantly improved antioxidant decomposition ability at high potentials, stemming from intermolecular hydrogen bond formation and decreased lone‐pair electron activity of ether oxygen. Additionally, the FEGPE reduces the lithium deposition energy barrier and enables a stable electrolyte/electrode interface by forming Li‐In alloys and LiF components in solid electrolyte interphases. In turn, Li|FEGPE|LiFePO4 cells exhibit a high initial capacity of 151 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C, with an outstanding capacity retention of 97% over 300 cycles. For high‐voltage cathodes, Li|FEGPE|LiN0.8iCo0.1Mn0.1O2 cells deliver an initial capacity of 167 mAh g−1 at 1 C, achieving a capacity retention of 75% over 500 cycles.

Optimizing Lithium Battery Interface: Room Temperature Diels‐Alder Cross‐Linked In Situ Gel Electrolyte Inhibits Lithium Dendrite Growth

ABSTRACTIn situ gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are promising for lithium metal batteries due to their high ionic conductivity (≈ 10−3 S cm−1) and outstanding compatibility with electrode interface. However, challenges such as initiator and monomer residue, high initiation temperatures, and low mechanical properties hinder their development. To address these challenges, a low‐temperature, catalyst‐free method utilizing the Diels‐Alder reaction between fulvene and maleimide is proposed, offering a by‐product‐free solution. With this method, a GPE was prepared through the Diels‐Alder reaction between PEG‐fulvene and bismaleimide diphenylmethane (BMI), using lithium‐sulfur electrolyte (1.0 M LiTFSI in DOL (1,3‐dioxolane): DME (Dimethoxyethane) = 1:1 vol% with 1.0% LiNO3) as the solvent. The in situ GPE demonstrates an ionic conductivity of up to 1.11 mS cm−1 at 30°C and maintains stable cycling for 2000 h at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2. Furthermore, the formation of lithium dendrites is effectively suppressed. The discharge capacity of the LFP/GPE/Li battery was 118.9 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.5C, with a capacity retention of 88.20%. These results demonstrate that the in situ GPE has excellent capacity retention and cycle life, making the catalyst‐free crosslinking strategy at room temperature a new plan for preparing in situ GPE.

Enhancing Microdomain Consistency in Polymer Electrolytes towards Sustainable Lithium Batteries

Polymer electrolytes incorporated with fillers possess immense potential for constructing the fast and selective Li+ conduction. However, the inhomogeneous distribution of the fillers usually deteriorates the microdomain consistency of the electrolytes, resulting in uneven Li+ flux, and unstable electrode‐electrolyte interfaces. Herein, we formulate a solution‐process chemistry to in‐situ construct gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) with well‐dispersed metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), leading to a uniform microdomain structure. Through the integration of X‐ray computed tomography analyses and theoretical simulations, our research identifies that the improvement of microdomain consistency in GPEs is beneficial for enhancing its mechanical strength, homogenizing ionic/electronic field distribution and upgrading the interface stability with the elctrodes. Moreover, consistently spread MOFs bind effectively with Lewis‐base anions of Li salts, enhancing Li+ kinetics. Owing to these advantages, the developed GPEs achieve a high conductivity of 1.51 mS cm−1 and a Li+ transference number of 0.66, resulting in exceptional cyclability of lithium metal electrodes (over 1800 hours). Additionally, the solid‐state NCM811//Li pouch batteries exhibit an impressive capacity retention of 94.2% over 200 cycles with an N/P ratio of 1.69. This study emphasizes the significant impact of microdomain structural chemistry on the advancement of solid‐state batteries.

Green synthesis of propolis mediated silver nanoparticles with antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties and their burn wound healing efficacy in animal model

Developing an efficient and cost-effective wound-healing substance to treat wounds and regenerate skin is desperately needed in the current world. The present study evaluatedin vivowound healing andin vitroantioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory activities of propolis mediated silver nanoparticles. Extract of Bee propolis from northeast Punjab, Pakistan, has been prepared via maceration and subjected to chemical identification. The results revealed that it is rich in phenolic contents (88 ± 0.004 mg GAE ml-1, 34 ± 0.1875 mg QE ml-1) hence, employed as a reducer and capping agent to afford silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by green approach. The prepared nanoparticles have been characterized by UV-visible (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD). The propolis mediated AgNPs possess cubic face center with spherical shape and measured 50-60 nm in size. Moreover, propolis mediated silver nanoparticles have been studied for various biological activities. The results showed excellent antioxidant (0.4696 μg ml-1), anti-inflammatory (0.3996 μg ml-1) and antibacterial activities againstStaphylococcus aureus(MIC 0.462 μg ml-1) andProteus mirabilis(MIC 0.659 μg ml-1) bacterium. An ointment was prepared by mixing AgNPs with polymeric gels for burn wound treatment in rabbits. We found rapid wound healing and higher collagen deposition in AgNPs treated wounds than in control group. Our data suggest that AgNPs from propolis ameliorate excision wounds, and hence, these AgNPs could be potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of burns.

Shape Memory Supramolecular Polymer Gels Constructed by Pillar[5]arene-Based Mechanically Interlocked Polymer Networks

Shape Memory Supramolecular Polymer Gels Constructed by Pillar[5]arene-Based Mechanically Interlocked Polymer Networks

Organogel Polymer Electrocatalysts for Two-Electron Oxygen Reduction.

Polymer gels, renowned for unparalleled chemical stability and self-sustaining properties, have garnered significant attention in electrocatalysis. Notably, organic polymer gels that exhibit temperature sensitivity and incorporate suitable polar nonvolatile liquids, enhance electronic conductivity, and impart distinct morphological features, but remain largely unexplored as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). To address this issue, an innovative strategy is proposed for synergistic modulation of the rigidity of mainchain molecular skeleton and length of alkyl sidechains, enabling the development of organogel polymers with a sol-gel temperature-sensitive phase transition that promises high selectivity and enhanced activity in electrocatalytic processes. Notably, the shortening of alkyl sidechain length can significantly affect the gelation behavior and internal microstructure of the catalyst, which modifies the electron state, ultimately impacting the catalytic activity of the gel polymer catalysts. In particular, phenyl-containing Ph-FL1 with short alkyl sidechains demonstrates outstanding 2e- ORR activity in alkaline medium, achieving a remarkable hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) selectivity of 98.6% with an impressive yield of 4.08 mol g-1 h-1. This performance surpasses most metal-free carbon-based electrocatalysts. Through theoretical calculation, the carbon atom (site-3) of C═N group is identified as potential active sites, representing a significant advancement toward designing cost-effective and efficient ORR electrocatalysts.

A New Self‐Healing Green Polymer Gel with Dynamic Networks for Flow Control in Harsh Reservoirs

AbstractHydrogels are widely used in flow control of underground reservoirs, a self‐healing in situ cross‐linked polymer gel system with a dynamic covalent adaptive network and dynamic disulfide bond is designed and constructed with cystine hydrochloride containing disulfide bond as a green cross‐linking agent. The polyacrylamide/cystine system can form a gel at temperatures above 110 °C, the dynamic disulfide bonds in the gel network make the hydrogels have excellent toughness and self‐healing properties and the maximum toughness value of the self‐healing gel is 57.5 MJ m−3, and the self‐healing efficiency can reach 88%. At the same time, the storage modulus of the gel can reach more than 2000 Pa with the addition of nano SiO2. The cross‐linked gel formulated using formation water is stable at 170 °C for more than 270 days. The modulated flooding experiment results show that the new gel system can effectively reduce the water content and increase the recovery rate by 32.2%. At the same time, the formation damage test shows that the average plugging rate of the gel is 95%, and the permeability damage is less than 15%. This new self‐healing green gel system can replace existing toxic gel systems and prioritize fluid flow control in harsh reservoir conditions.

An Ultra-Stable Polysaccharide Gel Plugging Agent for Water Shutoff in Mature Oil Reservoirs

Polyacrylamide-based gel plugging agents are extensively utilized in oilfields for water shutoff. However, their thermal stability, salt tolerance, and shear resistance are limited, making it difficult to achieve high-strength plugging and maintain stability under high-temperature and high-salinity reservoir conditions. This study proposes the use of chitosan (CTSs), a polysaccharide with a rigid cyclic structure, as the polymer. The organic cross-linker N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) is incorporated via the Michael addition reaction mechanism to develop an ultra-stable, organically cross-linked chitosan gel system. The CTS/MBA gel system was evaluated under various environmental conditions using rheological testing and thermal aging to assess gel strength and stability. The results demonstrate significant improvements in gel strength and stability at high temperatures (up to 120 °C) and under high-shear conditions, as the increased cross-linking density enhanced resistance to thermal and mechanical degradation. Rapid gelation was observed with increasing MBA concentration, while pH and salinity further modulated gel properties. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of a three-dimensional microstructure after gelation, which contributed to the enhanced properties. This study provides novel insights into optimizing polymer gel performance for the petroleum industry, particularly in high-temperature and high-shear environments.

Acid-Induced in Situ Phase Separation and Percolation for Constructing Bi-Continuous Phase Hydrogel Electrodes With Motion-Insensitive Property.

Conductingpolymer hydrogels have gained attention in the bioelectronics field due to their unique combination of biocompatibility and customizable mechanical properties. However, achieving both excellent conductivity and mechanical strength in a hydrogel remains a significant challenge, primarily because of the inherent conflict between the hydrophobic nature of conducting polymers and the hydrophilic characteristics of hydrogels. To address this issue, this work proposes a simple one-step acid-induced approach that not only promotes the gelation of hydrophilic polymers but also facilitates the in situ phase separation of hydrophobic conducting polymers under mild conditions. This results in a distinctive bi-continuous phase structure with exceptional electrical property (906 mS cm-1) and mechanical performance (fracture strain of 1103%). The hydrogel forms robust percolating networks that maintain structural integrity under mechanical stress due to their entropic elasticity, providing remarkable strain insensitivity, low mechanical hysteresis, and an impressive resilience (95%). Electrodes fabricated from the conductive hydrogel exhibit stable and minimal interfacial contact impedance with skin (1-6 kilohms at 1-100Hz) and significantly lower noise power (4.9 µV2). This work believes that the motion-insensitive characteristics and mechanical robustness of this hydrogel will enable efficient and reliable monitoring of biological signals, establishing a new benchmark in the bioelectronics.

Site Energy Distribution Coupled with Statistical Physics Modeling for Cr(VI) Adsorption onto Coordination Polymer Gel.

In this work, a novel pristine coordination polymer gel composed of zirconium and 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole is unveiled and explored to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous systems. A Box-Behnken design, coupled with a genetic algorithm and desirability function, was used for optimizing the controllable factors for maximum removal efficiency. Under optimized conditions (A = 50 mg L-1, B = 40 mg, C = 90 min, and D = 4), 99% of Cr(VI) was removed, and the saturation adsorption capacity recorded was 132.37 mg g-1. The adsorption data were investigated through statistical physics modeling. The most suited statistical physics model (monolayer with three energies; R2 = 0.994-0.997, χ2 = 0.008-0.024), combined with site energy distribution analysis, XPS, and FTIR, unraveled the uptake mechanism. At the first and third active sites, Cr(VI) uptake was multimolecular (n > 1), while at the second active site, it was a mixed multimolecular (298 K, n > 1) and multidocking (308 and 318 K, n < 1). The adsorption energy values indicated the involvement of coordination exchange (E1 = 53.40-58.47 kJ mol-1), electrostatic interaction (E2 = 29.56-32.29 kJ mol-1), and hydrogen bonding (E3 = 24.68-28.35 kJ mol-1) in Cr(VI) adsorption. The BSf(1.5, α) model fitted best (R2 = 0.976-0.994, χ2 = 0.023-0.377) to the kinetic data under all conditions. Common coexisting ions had no significant impact on removal efficiency (%R > 97% at 1:3), and the sorbent could be reutilized up to 5 uptake-elution cycles (>96% efficiency). The practical utility of ZrAMTD was investigated by remediating Cr(VI) contaminated real water samples (%R ≥ 92.91%).

Improvement of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Performance via Addition of Azopyridine Derivative in Polymer Gel Electrolytes.

In this study, a polymer gel electrolyte based on polyacrylonitrile was synthesized with varying polymer-to-liquid-electrolyte ratios. DSSCs incorporating a 1:3 ratio showed optimum PV parameters. Choosing this proportion, the effect of incorporating the photoresponsive AZO dye into this polymer electrolyte was studied. When irradiated with a UV light of 365 nm, the AZO dye underwent photoisomerization, which allowed the gel electrolyte to absorb heat from the UV irradiation and increase its ionic conductivity. It was found that by the addition of azopyridine into the polymer electrolyte, there was an improvement in the photovoltaic parameters of cells. By increasing the dye content from 1% to 10% by weight in the electrolyte, an 11% growth in short current density was observed, resulting in about a 10% rise in cell efficiency.

Active layered composites: A variable kinematics approach with stimulus expansion model for piezo-actuators and hydrogels

Active materials are often applied in the form of plate-like smart composites. Therein, they are combined with other (active or passive) materials that serve different purposes, such as providing mechanical counterpoints, protection against multi-field influences, or electrical functionality. Furthermore, sensoric layers can be included. For an enhanced description of the mechanical response of Soft-Hard Active-Passive Embedded Structures (SHAPES) in plate configuration, we combine two approaches: (i) A variable kinematics approach called sublaminate Generalized Unified Formulation (sGUF), which allows the choice of adequate kinematics for each physical layer, and (ii) the Stimulus-Expansion-Model (SEM) for description of active behavior. We present results for SHAPES with polymer gel layers and for piezo-ceramic layers. The current sGUF-SEM modeling approach has been protypically implemented along with a Navier-type solution. This allows the assessment of combinations of different passive and active materials inside plate-like composites. Excellent agreement with reference solutions from literature and/or from three-dimensional Finite Element simulations in commercial software tools has been found. The promising preliminary results presented in this work suggest further steps to be considered: the implementation of sGUF-SEM into more general numerical solution methods, such as Finite Element or Ritz methods, and the integration of the physics of additional active materials.