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Gels
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Gel Materials in Advanced Energy Systems
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Gel Materials in Advanced Energy Systems

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 4255

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Antonia Stoyanova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: energy; carbons; electrolytes; supercapacitors; gels; nanomaterials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The European Green Deal, as well as other initiatives, will help achieve climate neutrality by 2050 to transform the EU and the world into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. Energy storage and conversion technologies are two important features of the current global transformation and the next "climate neutral" scenario. Therefore, highly efficient energy systems have attracted extensive research interest in recent years, with efforts focused on the development of new electrode materials and electrolytes.

Due to their unique properties, such as flexibility, stretchability, and biocompatibility, gel materials are increasingly finding applications in various types of energy conversion and storage systems, such as lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, etc. The ability to easily modify the properties of gels further expands their capabilities and improves their performance. Using energy gels, extremely flexible and stretchable devices can be created by applying them to flexible substrates. Reactive polymer gels can be employed to create smart energy devices that respond to changes in the environment. It is extremely important to emphasize that by using different gel materials, the applications of energy devices can be extended to other technological fields.

In order to popularize the great potential of gel materials and their application in modern energy systems, as well as to strengthen the links in academia, the present Special Issue titled "Gel Materials in Advanced Energy Systems" has been launched. Original research articles, reviews, and perspectives relevant to the scope of this Special Issue are welcomed.

Thank you.

Prof. Dr. Antonia Stoyanova
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy storage
  • energy conversion
  • gel-based materials
  • gel-based electrolytes
  • conductive polymer gel

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5278 KiB  
Article
High-Performance Supercapacitors Using Compact Carbon Hydrogels Derived from Polybenzoxazine
by Shakila Parveen Asrafali, Thirukumaran Periyasamy and Jaewoong Lee
Gels 2024, 10(8), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10080509 - 2 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 735
Abstract
Polybenzoxazine (PBz) aerogels hold immense potential, but their conventional production methods raise environmental and safety concerns. This research addresses this gap by proposing an eco-friendly approach for synthesizing high-performance carbon derived from polybenzoxazine. The key innovation lies in using eugenol, ethylene diamine, and [...] Read more.
Polybenzoxazine (PBz) aerogels hold immense potential, but their conventional production methods raise environmental and safety concerns. This research addresses this gap by proposing an eco-friendly approach for synthesizing high-performance carbon derived from polybenzoxazine. The key innovation lies in using eugenol, ethylene diamine, and formaldehyde to create a polybenzoxazine precursor. This eliminates hazardous solvents by employing the safer dimethyl sulfoxide. An acidic catalyst plays a crucial role, not only in influencing the microstructure but also in strengthening the material’s backbone by promoting inter-chain connections. Notably, this method allows for ambient pressure drying, further enhancing its sustainability. The polybenzoxazine acts as a precursor to produce two different carbon materials. The carbon material produced from the calcination of PBz is denoted as PBZC, and the carbon material produced from the gelation and calcination of PBz is denoted as PBZGC. The structural characterization of these carbon materials was analyzed through different techniques, such as XRD, Raman, XPS, and BET analyses. BET analysis showed increased surface of 843 m2 g−1 for the carbon derived from the gelation method (PBZGC). The electrochemical studies of PBZC and PBZGC imply that a well-defined morphology, along with suitable porosity, paves the way for increased conductivity of the materials when used as electrodes for supercapacitors. This research paves the way for utilizing heteroatom-doped, polybenzoxazine aerogel-derived carbon as a sustainable and high-performing alternative to traditional carbon materials in energy storage devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gel Materials in Advanced Energy Systems)
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12 pages, 5304 KiB  
Article
Nanocomposite Perfluorosulfonic Acid/Montmorillonite-Na+ Polymer Membrane as Gel Electrolyte in Hybrid Supercapacitors
by Borislava Mladenova, Galin Borisov, Mariela Dimitrova, Desislava Budurova, Maya Staneva, Filip Ublekov and Antonia Stoyanova
Gels 2024, 10(7), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10070452 - 10 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1000
Abstract
Solid-state supercapacitors with gel electrolytes have emerged as a promising field for various energy storage applications, including electronic devices, electric vehicles, and mobile phones. In this study, nanocomposite gel membranes were fabricated using the solution casting method with perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer dispersion, [...] Read more.
Solid-state supercapacitors with gel electrolytes have emerged as a promising field for various energy storage applications, including electronic devices, electric vehicles, and mobile phones. In this study, nanocomposite gel membranes were fabricated using the solution casting method with perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer dispersion, both with and without the incorporation of 10 wt.% montmorillonite (MMT). MMT, a natural clay known for its high surface area and layered structure, is expected to enhance the properties of supercapacitor systems. Manganese oxide, selected for its pseudocapacitive behavior in a neutral electrolyte, was synthesized via direct co-precipitation. The materials underwent structural and morphological characterization. For electrochemical evaluation, a two-electrode Swagelok cell was employed, featuring a carbon xerogel negative electrode, a manganese dioxide positive electrode, and a PFSA polymer membrane serving as both the electrolyte and separator. The membrane was immersed in a 1 M Na2SO4 solution before testing. A comprehensive electrochemical analysis of the hybrid cells was conducted and compared with a symmetric carbon/carbon supercapacitor. Cyclic voltammetric curves were recorded, and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests were conducted at various temperatures (20, 40, 60 °C). The hybrid cell with the PFSA/MMT 10 wt.% exhibited the highest specific capacitance and maintained its hybrid profile after prolonged cycling at elevated temperatures, highlighting the potential of the newly developed membrane. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gel Materials in Advanced Energy Systems)
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Review

Jump to: Research

38 pages, 9506 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of Functional Gel Polymer Electrolytes and Applications in Lithium-Ion Battery
by Md. Shahriar Ahmed, Mobinul Islam, Bikash Raut, Sua Yun, Hae Yong Kim and Kyung-Wan Nam
Gels 2024, 10(9), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10090563 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1895
Abstract
The rapid expansion of flexible and wearable electronics has necessitated a focus on ensuring their safety and operational reliability. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) have become preferred alternatives to traditional liquid electrolytes, offering enhanced safety features and adaptability to the design requirements of flexible [...] Read more.
The rapid expansion of flexible and wearable electronics has necessitated a focus on ensuring their safety and operational reliability. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) have become preferred alternatives to traditional liquid electrolytes, offering enhanced safety features and adaptability to the design requirements of flexible lithium-ion batteries. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of recent advancements in GPE technology, highlighting significant improvements in its physicochemical properties, which contribute to superior long-term cycling stability and high-rate capacity compared with traditional organic liquid electrolytes. Special attention is given to the development of smart GPEs endowed with advanced functionalities such as self-protection, thermotolerance, and self-healing properties, which further enhance battery safety and reliability. This review also critically examines the application of GPEs in high-energy cathode materials, including lithium nickel cobalt manganese (NCM), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA), and thermally stable lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). Despite the advancements, several challenges in GPE development remain unresolved, such as improving ionic conductivity at low temperatures and ensuring mechanical integrity and interfacial compatibility. This review concludes by outlining future research directions and the remaining technical hurdles, providing valuable insights to guide ongoing and future efforts in the field of GPEs for lithium-ion batteries, with a particular emphasis on applications in high-energy and thermally stable cathodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gel Materials in Advanced Energy Systems)
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