Sodium 4-styrenesulfonate Research Articles

Preparation and properties of cellulose acetate graft copolymer‐coated adsorbent resin for hemoperfusion device

AbstractIn this paper, acrylic acid (AA) and sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS) were grafted onto the surface of cellulose acetate (CA) by free radical polymerization to obtain a heparin unit‐containing graft copolymer CA‐g‐P(AA/SSS). It was used to coat the adsorbent resin for disposable hemoperfusion devices to improve blood compatibility. The adsorption capacity of the modified CA‐coated adsorbent resin to creatinine, Vitamin B12, bilirubin, and imidacloprid was tested. The results showed that the modified CA‐coated adsorbent resin had a good adsorption effect on small and medium‐sized molecules. The hemolysis and coagulation tests showed that the CA‐g‐P(AA/SSS) coating could greatly improve the blood compatibility of the adsorbent resin. The hemolysis rate was 1.6%, which met the requirement of international standards for the hemolysis rate of blood contact equipment less than 5%. The coagulation index was higher than 1.55, which was comparable to the heparin‐preflashed HA130 currently in use. In addition, the CA‐g‐P(AA/SSS)‐coated adsorbent resin has good biocompatibility, no pyrogenic reaction, low vitro cytotoxicity, and no acute systemic toxicity. The resin has a good application prospect in uremia, hyperbilirubinemia, and rapid treatment of pesticide poisoning.

Removal of highly concentrated methylene blue dye by cellulose nanofiber biocomposites

The contamination of water by dyes in high concentrations is a worldwide concern, and it has prompted the development of efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly materials and technologies for water purification. The hydration and adsorption capacity for methylene blue (MB) in biocomposites (BCs) based on cellulose nanofiber (CNF) (0 to 2 wt%) were studied. BCs were synthesized through a simple and straightforward route and characterized by spectroscopy, microscopic techniques and thermogravimetric analysis, among others. Hydration studies showed that BCs prepared with 2 wt% of CNF can absorb large volumes of water, approximately 2274 % in the case of poly 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (PAMPS)-CNF and 2408 % in poly sodium 4-styrene sulfonate (PSSNa)-CNF. These BCs showed outstanding adsorption capacity for highly concentrated MB solutions (4536 mg g−1 PAMPS-CNF and 11,930 mg g−1 PSSNa-CNF). It was confirmed that the adsorption mechanism is through electrostatic interactions. Finally, BCs showed high MB adsorption efficiency after several sorption-desorption cycles and on a simulated textile effluent. Furthermore, the theoretical results showed a preferential interaction between MB and the semiflexible polymer chains at the lowest energy setting. The development and study of a new adsorbent material with high MB removal performance that is easy to prepare, economical and reusable for potential use in water purification treatments was successfully achieved.

Critical parameters for highly efficient and reproducible polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings for protein separation by capillary electrophoresis

Since the introduction of polyelectrolyte multilayers to protein separation in capillary electrophoresis (CE), some progress has been made to improve separation efficiency by varying different parameters, such as buffer ionic strength and pH, polyelectrolyte nature and number of deposited layers. However, CE is often overlooked as it lacks robustness compared to other separation techniques. In this work, critical parameters for the construction of efficient and reproducible Successive multiple ionic-polymer layers (SMIL) coatings were investigated, focusing on experimental conditions, such as vial preparation and sample conservation which were shown to have a significant impact on separation performances. In addition to repeatability, intra- and inter-capillary precision were assessed, demonstrating the improved capability of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) / poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) (PDADMAC / PSS) coated capillaries to separate model proteins in a 2 M acetic acid background electrolyte when all the correct precautions are put in place (with run to run%RSD(tm) < 1.8%, day to day%RSD(tm) < 3.2% and cap to cap%RSD(tm) < 4.6%). The approach recently introduced to calculate retention factors was used to quantify residual protein adsorption onto the capillary wall and to assess capillary coating performances. 5-layer PDADAMAC / PSS coatings led to average retention factors for the five model proteins of ∼4×10−2. These values suggest a relatively low residual protein adsorption leading to reasonably flat plate height vs linear velocity curves, obtained by performing electrophoretic separations at different electrical voltages (-10 to -25 kV).

Two dimensional MoS2 finding its way towards constructing high-performance alkaline recovery membranes

The available alkaline recovery membranes are currently dominated by polymeric materials, but they suffer from a permeation-selectivity trade-off and inferior chemical resistance. Robust two dimensional (2D) lamellar membranes with sub-nanometer wide channels are promising candidates for discerning OH− and other anions. Here, we report the development of alkaline recycling membranes through stacking MoS2 nanosheets. Benefiting from the ordered and narrow 2D channels, MoS2 membranes show excellent alkaline recovery performances. The OH− dialysis coefficient (UOH-) and separation factor (S) towards simulated OH− and WO42- across the 500 nm thick MoS2 laminates reach 6.9 × 10−3 m·h−1 and 34.3 respectively. Furthermore, the chemical environments of MoS2 laminates were modulated by intercalating ionic poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS@MoS2). The UOH- and S values of PSS@MoS2 membrane further improve to 11.7 × 10−3 m·h−1 and 49.8 respectively. Besides, both MoS2 and PSS@MoS2 membranes exhibit promising stability.

Physical Chemistry Study of Collagen-Based Multilayer Films.

The surface properties of a biomaterial play an important role in cell behavior, e.g., recolonization, proliferation, and migration. Collagen is known to favor wound healing. In this study, collagen (COL)-based layer-by-layer (LbL) films were built using different macromolecules as a partner, i.e., tannic acid (TA), a natural polyphenol known to establish hydrogen bonds with protein, heparin (HEP), an anionic polysaccharide, and poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS), an anionic synthetic polyelectrolyte. To cover the whole surface of the substrate with a minimal number of deposition steps, several parameters of the film buildup were optimized, such as the pH value of the solutions, the dipping time, and the salt (sodium chloride) concentration. The morphology of the films was characterized by atomic force microscopy. Built at an acidic pH, the stability of COL-based LbL films was studied when in contact with a physiological medium as well as the TA release from COL/TA films. In contrast to COL/PSS and COL/HEP LbL films, COL/TA films showed a good proliferation of human fibroblasts. These results validate the choice of TA and COL as components of LbL films for biomedical coatings.

Bioactivation of New Harmonic Titanium Alloy to Improve and Control Cellular Response and Differentiation

ObjectiveThe purpose of this research article is to present the functionalization of a new titanium alloy of the system TiNbZr, by the grafting of a bioactive polymer (poly(sodium styrene sulfonate), PNaSS) using the “grafting from” technique to improve the osseointegration. The resulting grafted polymer is covalently bonded to the substrate in this procedure thanks to surface-induced polymerization. Material and MethodColorimetric assay, Fourier-transform infrared spectra recorded in attenuated total reflection mode (ATR-FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and water contact angle measurements (WCA) were applied to characterize the surfaces. In addition, the effect of the grafting on the biological response was assessed using MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells line. ResultsThis study showed that grafting rates obtained on these new alloy are as good (around 4.5 μg/cm2) as on classical alloys. In parallel, in vitro biological response study was carried out to assess toxicity, cell viability, and morphology on titanium alloys TiNbZr functionalized. Moreover, results showed superior alkaline phosphatase activity and higher calcium deposition on grafted samples, implying a beneficial effect of the PNaSS in osteoinduction activity. ConclusionsGrafted TiNbZr improves the cell response, in particular, the osseointegration.

Enhanced copper cyanide complex precipitation using polymer-surfactant aggregates

Precipitation of metal cyanide complexes using quaternary ammonium salts has been used in cyanidation solutions after gold leaching. Due to the high residual load of metal cyanide complexes and ammonium salts, this method does not apply to effluents containing moderate or low cyanide concentrations. To overcome these limitations, in this study, we introduce poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) into a solution containing cetyltrimethylammonium bromide Sinpharm (CTAB), to form polymer-surfactant aggregates (PSAs) and enhance the removal efficiency of Cu and TCN. 93.8% and 97.0% of Cu and TCN, respectively, were removed from the synthetic solution (Cu 0.5 mM and CN 1.5 mM) under optimum dosage of 150 ppm PSS and 0.8 mM CTAB, resulting in 92.2% of substrate usage. The addition of 3.0 mM CTAB without PSS resulted in only 46.3% of substrate usage, even though the removals of Cu and TCN were 92.2 and 93.6%, respectively. The presence of thiocyanate ions significantly reduced the removal efficiency due to the competitive interaction with PSAs, whereas the pH of the solution and the temperature did not have any noticeable impact. Tests performed with an industrial effluent corroborated the results obtained with synthetic solutions: PSAs react with copper cyanide to form a precipitate that can be separated from the solution.

Antitumor Effects of Microencapsulated Gratiola officinalis Extract on Breast Carcinoma and Human Cervical Cancer Cells In Vitro

Flavonoid-containing Gratiola officinalis extract has been studied in relation to breast carcinoma and human cervical cancer cells in encapsulated and native form. Encapsulation was realized in polymer shells, which were formed by the layer-by-layer method using sequential adsorption of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) on the destructible cores. The extract was prepared by the author's method and characterized using high performance liquid chromatography. By means of optical and fluorescent microscopy, cell changes under the action of pure and encapsulated extracts were comprehensively studied, and statistical analysis was carried out. Cells were stained with propidium iodide, acridine orange, and Hoechst 33258. A fluorescence microscope with a digital video camera were used for cell imaging. The encapsulated extract caused 100% death of breast cancer SKBR-3 cells and 34% death of cervical cancer HeLa cells and prevented the formation of autophagosomes in both cultures. Analysis of the viability and morphological features of tumor cells under the action of microencapsulated extract allows us to consider microencapsulation as an effective strategy for delivering Gratiola officinalis extract to tumor cells and a promising way to overcome the protective autophagy.

Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) Copolymers as Efficient Zika Virus Inhibitors: In Vitro Studies.

A series of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PEG-b-PSSNa) copolymers were synthesized, and their antiviral activity against Zika virus (ZIKV) was determined. The polymers inhibit ZIKV replication in vitro in mammalian cells at nontoxic concentrations. The mechanistic analysis revealed that the PEG-b-PSSNa copolymers interact directly with viral particles in a zipper-like mechanism, hindering their interaction with the permissive cell. The antiviral activity of the copolymers is well-correlated with the length of the PSSNa block, indicating that the copolymers' ionic blocks are biologically active. The blocks of PEG present in copolymers studied do not hinder that interaction. Considering the practical application of PEG-b-PSSNa and the electrostatic nature of the inhibition, the interaction between the copolymers and human serum albumin (HSA) was evaluated. The formation of PEG-b-PSSNa-HSA complexes in the form of negatively charged nanoparticles well-dispersed in buffer solution was observed. That observation is promising, given the possible practical application of the copolymers.

An Effective Methanol-Blocking Cation Exchange Membrane Modified with Graphene Oxide Nanosheet for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Herein, graphene oxide nanosheets (GO) were synthesized and employed as an additive at various proportions to fabricate a novel cation exchange membrane based on grafted cellulose acetate with sodium 4-styrenesulfonate (GCA) via a solution casting method for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. The structure of composite membranes has been examined using FTIR, TGA, SEM, and DSC. The physicochemical properties of the GCA/GO membranes, such as ion exchange capacity, water uptake, mechanical and chemical stability, methanol permeability, and proton conductivity, were measured. The inclusion of GO significantly improved the ability to block methanol, contributing to the observed effects. Among the several composite membranes developed, GCA/GO (2 wt.%) had the highest selectivity with a water uptake of 45%, proton conductivity of 5.99 × 10−3 S/cm, methanol permeability of 1.12 × 10−7 cm2/s, and electrical selectivity of 26.39 × 103 Ss/cm3. Simultaneously, the composite membranes’ mechanical, oxidative, and thermal stabilities were also enhanced. Single-cell estimation using a 2 wt.% GO modified membrane demonstrated a maximum power density of 31.85 mW.cm−2 at 30 °C. Overall, these findings highlight the perspective of the application of these developed membranes in the DMFC.

Novel reusable catalytic poly(4-styrenesulfonate-co-glycidylmethacrylate) foams for adsorption and photodegradation of the model pollutant dye methylene blue based on aromatic-aromatic interactions

With the aim of achieving new highly porous, water-insoluble solid adsorbents for pollutants in water whose adsorption mechanism is based on aromatic-aromatic interactions, solid materials bearing charged aromatic groups have been developed from a family of copolymers of sodium styrene sulfonate and glycidyl methacrylate synthesized by free radical copolymerization both in DMF and in DMF/H2O, with comonomer molar ratio ranging between 0.2 and 0.8. The copolymers have been rationally designed to furnish hydrophilic functional negatively charged aromatic rings to allow aromatic-aromatic interaction with cationic aromatic pollutants, and hydrophobic functional monomers able to trigger crosslinking reactions through ring opening of epoxy groups by thermal treatment. All these copolymers form hydrogels in water. However, foams with closed cell structure were formed with the copolymer synthesized in DMF at a 0.2/0.8 NaSS/GMA molar ratio in the feed upon thermal treatment for 5–15 min at 270 °C, that resulted in non-soluble, elastic, hard, and fragile solid materials. Volume expansion stood around 30-fold the original volume, and porosity of the resulting expanded objects reached values higher than 73 %. Due to the large surface area of these foams and the presence of the benzene sulfonate moieties, the materials showed maximum adsorption capacity of around 200 mg of the model dye methylene blue per g of material, with a high adsorption rate. Interestingly, the absorbent foams showed catalytic activity towards photodegradation of the dye and allowed reusing the materials for at least six cycles.

Shape-Tunable Biconcave Disc-Like Polymer Particles by Swelling-Induced Phase Separation of Seeded Particles with Hydrophilic Shells.

Anisotropic shape-tunable polymer particles have gained significant attention for their wide applications, and their performances are usually strongly correlated to their shapes. In contrast to convex particles, the synthesis of highly uniform concave polymer particles remains a great challenge. Here, we present a facile and effective route to synthesize biconcave polystyrene (PS) discs by swelling-induced phase separation of hydrophilically modified PS microspheres and report an unexpected finding that even a tiny amount of hydrophilic units that were incorporated into PS microspheres can significantly change the shape of phase interfaces, resulting in the transformation of disc shapes from convex to flat to concave. This is realized by several typical hydrophilic monomers, such as sodium styrene sulfonate (NaSS), acrylic acid (AA), or (2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)trimethylammonium chloride (METAC). The effect of the distribution of hydrophilic units in microspheres was investigated, and the mechanism of shape tuning has been discussed. The curvatures of the bottom surfaces of discs show a strong correlation to the content of hydrophilic units. In particular, we emphasize that the shape control method is general since it does not depend on specific hydrophilic units. This research paves the way for precisely structuring polymer particle shapes, which is important for polymer particles to be used for self-assembly, diffusion, rheology, transport, filler, and many other applications.

Fabrication of S-PBI cation exchange membrane with excellent anti-fouling property for enhanced performance in electrodialysis

A novel anti-fouling cation exchange membrane (CEM) of sulfonated polybenzimidazole (S-PBI) was fabricated by the polymer bulk grafting modification of poly (4,4′-diphenyl ether-5,5′-bibenzimidazole) with sodium styrene sulfonate. FTIR, TGA, XPS, SEM and AFM were used to characterize membrane properties and the results showed that the ion exchange capacity and hydrophilicity of S-PBI increased with increased degrees of grafting and the electric resistance decreased accordingly. When the mass ratio of O-PBI/SSS was 1:4, the electric resistance of S-PBI-4.0 was 4.5 Ω·cm2, while the ion exchange capacity was 2.3 meq/g. The ED experiment with the S-PBI-4.0 membrane exhibited good desalination rate (>96 %), high current efficiency (80.73 %) and low energy consumption (1.13 kW·h/kg), which were very close to the results of a commercial CEM (Neosepta CMX). What's more, because of its good hydrophilicity, the S-PBI-4.0 membrane had better anti-fouling ability than Neosepta CMX, which was manifested as less resistance increase after membrane fouled by bovine serum albumin and smaller resistance after membrane cleaned by deionized water. These results demonstrate that the S-PBI-4.0 membrane is an appropriate candidate CEM and helpful to expand the application of ED in high-salinity organic industrial wastewater treatment.

ЛЮМИНЕСЦИРУЮЩИЕ КОМПЛЕКСЫ ИОНОВ ТЕРБИЯ С БИОЛОГИЧЕСКИ АКТИВНЫМИ МАКРОЛИГАНДАМИ

The photophysical properties of Tb3+ ions in dilute aqueous solutions of 4­methacryloylamidobenzoic acid and sodium styrenesulfonate copolymers have been studied. The influence of the concentration and ratio of the interacting components on the Tb3+ luminescence intensity is analyzed, and the optimal conditions corresponding to the maximum luminescence intensity of the solution are determined. The study of the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of the samples showed the promise of using the copolymers and their complexes with lanthanide ions in antiviral therapy

Dye Adsorption of Surface Modified Cellulose Nanofibril Foams through Polyelectrolytes Multilayering

In this study, carboxymethylated cellulose nanofibril (CMCNF) foams were prepared through oven and freeze drying and chemically modified through the layer-by-layer (LbL) treatment of cationic (i.e., poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)) and anionic (i.e., poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)) polyelectrolytes. The alternative adsorption of each polyelectrolyte on a CMCNF foam was confirmed by charge demand and Fourier transform infrared and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analyses. The cumulative adsorbed amount of polyelectrolytes in the freeze-dried foam increased up to two layers and reached a plateau, but the oven-dried foam exhibited a slower and gradual polyelectrolyte adsorption with the increasing layer number. The anionic dye adsorption was found superior when the cationic polyelectrolyte was adsorbed at the outermost layer of the CMCNF foam. The dye removal performance differed depending on the foam pore structure. Consequently, the surface charge of the CMCNF foam was effectively modified by the LbL treatment of polyelectrolytes, which can expand the application of the CMCNF foam in cationic or anionic dye removal.

A Sulfonated All-Aromatic Polyamide for Heavy Metal Capture: A Model Study with Pb(II).

Polyelectrolytes are widely used in heavy metal removal, finding applications as coagulants and flocculants. We compare the heavy metal removal capability of a water-soluble sulfonated semirigid polyamide, poly(2,2'-disulfonyl-4,4'-benzidine isophthalamide) (PBDI), with that of a well-known random-coil polymer, poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS). Using lead (Pb(II)) as a model contaminant, both polymers precipitate out from solution at ~500 mg/L Pb(II) in water. The ability to remove Pb(II) from water was quantified using adsorption isotherms and fitted with Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. The sorption of Pb(II) by PSS fit the Langmuir model with a high degree of correlation (0.976 R2), but the sorption of Pb(II) by PBDI could not be accurately predicted using the Langmuir or Freundlich model. The sorption of Pb(II) by PBDI and PSS was compared by normalizing sorption by the number of sulfonate groups of each polymer and the ion exchange capacity (IEC), found by titration. We find that PBDI removes a greater amount of Pb(II) per gram of sorbent compared to PSS, 410 mg/g vs 260 mg/g, respectively, which cannot be accounted for by differences in IEC or number of sulfonate groups. Our findings confirm that the positioning of the sulfonate groups and the rigidity of the polymer backbone play an important role in how Pb(II) coordinates to the polymer prior to precipitating out from solution.

Observation and Modeling of a Sharp Oxygen Threshold in Aqueous Free Radical and RAFT Polymerization.

It is known that oxygen (O2) stops radical polymerization (RP). Here, it was found that the reaction turn-off occurs abruptly at a threshold concentration of O2, [O2]t, for both free RP and reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT). In some reactions, there was a spontaneous re-start of conversion. Three cases were investigated: RP of (i) acrylamide (Am) and (ii) sodium styrene sulfonate (SS) and (iii) Am RAFT polymerization. A controlled flow of O2 into the reactor was employed. An abrupt turn-off was observed in all cases, where polymerization stops sharply at [O2]t and remains stopped when [O2] > [O2]t. In (i), Am acts as a catalytic radical-transfer agent during conversion plateau, eliminating excess [O2], and polymerization spontaneously resumes at [O2]t. In no reaction, the initiator alone was capable of eliminating O2. N2 purge was needed to re-start reactions (ii) and (iii). For (i) and (ii), while [O2] < [O2]t, O2 acts a chain termination agent, reducing the molecular weight (Mw) and reduced viscosity (RV). O2 acts as an inhibitor for [O2] > [O2]t in all cases. The radical-transfer rates from Am* and SS* to O2 are >10,000× higher than the initial chain propagation step rates for Am and SS, which causes [O2]t at very low [O2].

RGO/CNTs heterogeneous interface modified by polyelectrolyte towards modulating negative permittivity of meta-composites

Poly (sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) were firstly assembled on the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) surface to control negative permittivity properties through regulating heterogeneous interface of rGO/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in meta-composites. The rGO/CNTs/cellulose composite films obtained negative permittivity while the carbon content was 30 wt%. After the rGO/CNT interface was modified by PSS, it was found that the negative permittivity was also observed even though the carbon content was only 20 wt%. The strong electron-absorbing character of sulfonic acid groups and large benzene rings in the PSS molecule chain, played an important influence on the properties of the rGO/CNT heterogeneous interface, resulting in the controllable negative dielectric properties. The obtained negative permittivity was perfectly fitted by Lorentz and/or Drude models. However, after obtaining the rGO-PEI-CNTs interface, PEI with the positively charged protonated amino groups neutralized the negative charges and deteriorated the dispersion of rGO and CNTs, leading to the decrease in dielectric loss and the shift from negative to positive permittivity. The connection between reactance and permittivity was demonstrated by an equivalent circuit analysis of the impedance response. This work offered a new approach to controlling negative permittivity via micro-interface regulation engineering in full depth.

Surface engineering of mixed conjugated/polyelectrolyte brushes – Tailoring interface structure and electrical properties

HypothesisMixed polymer brushes (MPBs) could be synthesized by surface dilution of homopolymer brushes and subsequent grafting of other type of chains in the formed voids. Nanophase separation and dynamics of surface-grafted chains could be tailored by modification of their molecular architecture. Mixed polyelectrolyte and conjugated chains contribute synergistically to tailor properties of the coating. ExperimentsA new synthetic strategy that allowed spatially controlled grafting of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) chains (PSSNa) in close neighborhood of poly(3-methylthienyl methacrylate) (PMTM) brushes (precursors of the conjugated chains) using surface-initiated polymerizations was developed. The final mixed conjugated/polyelectrolyte brushes were prepared by template polymerization of pendant thiophene groups in PMTM chains. Surface dynamics and nanophase separation of MPBs were studied by nanoscale resolution IR imaging, SIMS profiling and AFM mapping in selective solvents. FindingsUnconjugated MPBs were shown to undergo vertical, and horizontal nanophase separation, while the size and shape of the nanodomains were dependent on molar ratio of the mixed chains and their relative lengths. Generation of the conjugated chains led to diminishing of nanophase separation thanks to stronger mutual interactions of conjugated PMTM and PSSNa (macromolecular mixing). The obtained systems demonstrated tunable interfacial structure and resistance switching phenomenon desired in construction of smart surfaces or memristive devices.

Double-Carbon Matrix-Supported MnO2 for High-Voltage Supercapacitors in a Neutral Aqueous System

The low conductivity and poor structural stability of MnO2 nanoparticles have impeded further enhancement in specific energy density for aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors. To address this issue, in this article, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and mesoporous carbon (meso-C) are merged together, ultrasonically treated with poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) surfactant and then immersed in a KMnO4 solution at room temperature to generate a composite, namely, double-carbon matrix (CNTs and meso-C)-supported K–MnO2 (K+ incorporated state). When this composite was employed as an electrode in the neutral aqueous electrolyte, this material behaved as a redox pseudocapacitor and delivered a maximum specific capacity of 292.5 C g–1 (∼585 F g–1). When the composite was used as one electrode and the negative-activated carbon was employed as the other electrode, the as-assembled hybrid asymmetric device in the neutral aqueous system could achieve a specific capacitance of 86.0 F g–1 within an ultrahigh potential range of 0–2.1 V, breaking through a bondage of 2.0 V. This energy-storage device could deliver 52.7 W h kg–1, correlating to a power density of 525 W kg–1. Moreover, the effects of various ratios between CNTs and meso-C on the resulting performance were also investigated and compared.