Reconfigurable Poly(Ionic Liquid) Hydrogel Electrolytes for Ultrawide‐Temperature, Damage‐Tolerant Hybrid Supercapacitors
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Hydrogel electrolytes for flexible energy storage devices commonly suffer from limited temperature tolerance and irreversible damage in chemical cross‐linked networks. Herein, a hydroxyl‐functionalized poly(ionic liquid) hydrogel electrolyte (M‐C/HIL‐PAM) is synthesized via one‐step γ‐ray‐induced copolymerization of acrylamide and 1‐(2,3‐dihydroxypropyl)‐3‐vinylimidazolium chloride in an aqueous NaClO 4 /Mg(ClO 4 ) 2 solution. Reversible hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions from hydroxyl and imidazolium groups create a dynamically reconfigurable network, endowing high toughness (tensile strength ~390 kPa, elongation at break ~2025%), strong adhesion, and efficient self‐healing. Meanwhile, the synergistic hydration effect of Na + and Mg 2+ disrupts the hydrogen‐bond network of water molecules, enabling stable ion transport at −70 to 60 °C. Benefiting from these properties, the resulting activated carbon || δ‐MnO 2 hybrid supercapacitor fabricated by in situ radiation polymerization operates across this wide temperature range. The device exhibits no capacity decay after 2000 cycles at −60 °C, retains good performance after 5000 cycles at room temperature and 60 °C, and withstands 3000 bending cycles without significant loss. Furthermore, the pouch supercapacitor shows negligible capacity decay after physical damage and rejoining, demonstrating intrinsic self‐healing ability. This work offers a promising strategy for designing wide‐temperature, mechanically robust, and self‐healable hydrogel electrolytes for flexible energy storage devices under extreme conditions.
Source: Energy & environment materials
DOI: 10.1002/eem2.70519
Language: English
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
OpenAlex ID: W7225388019