Ionic polymer metal composites actuators with enhanced driving performance by incorporating graphene quantum dots

In order to further improve the driving performance of ionic polymer metal composites(IPMCs),Nafion/graphene quantum dots(GQDs)hybrid membranes incorporating GQDs with various contents of 0,0.1 wt.%,0.5 wt.%,1.0 wt.%,2.0 wt.%and 4.0 wt.%were fabricated by solution casting,and then IPMCs were manufactured by electroless plating.The water contents and elastic moduli of the hybrid membranes were tested.The morphology characteristics of the hybrid membranes and the IPMCs were observed,and the current,AC impedance,blocking force and displacement of the IPMCs were measured.The results show that the elastic modulus of the hybrid membranes decreases,the water content increases,and the actuation performance of the IPMCs improves significantly after the addition of GQDs.IPMC with 1.0 wt.%GQDs exhibits the best driving property.Compared with the IPMC without GQDs,the working current,ion conductivity,blocking force,and tip displacement increase by 94.67%,311.11%,53.66%,and 66.07%,respectively.These results lay a solid foundation for the preparation of IPMCs with high performance,and further broaden their applications in biomedical devices and bionic robots.

Properties and Structure of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes/Cellulose Composites Fibers Using Ionic Liquid as Solvent

To take advantage of cellulose material and prepare a kind of high performance fiber,multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWNTs) were used as fillers to produce MWNTs/cellulose composite fibers using ionic liquid as solvent.The thermal properties,mechanical properties,and structure of the composite fibers were investigated.The wide angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD) measurements show that MWNTs/cellulose composite fibers have cellulose Ⅱ crystal structure.The results obtained from thermal gravimetric analysis(TGA) indicate that the addition of low nanotubes amounts leads to an increase in the degrade temperature.The tensile mechanical properties show that initial modulus and tensile strength considerably increase in the presence of nanotubes with a maximum for 66.7% and 22.7%.

Neural Network Approach to Modelling the Behaviour of Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites in Dry Environments

Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) are especially interesting electroactive polymers because they show large a deformation in the presence of a very low driving voltage (around 1 - 2 V) and several applications have recently been proposed. Normally a humid environment is required for the best operation, although some IPMCs can operate in a dry environment, after proper encapsulation or if a solid electrolyte is used in the manufacturing process. However, such solutions usually lead to increasing mechanical stiffness and to a reduction of actuation capabilities. In this study we focus on the behaviour of non-encapsulated IPMCs as actuators in dry environments, in order to obtain relevant information for design tasks linked to the development of active devices based on this kind of smart material. The non-linear response obtained in the characterisation tests is especially well-suited to modelling these actuators with the help of artificial neural networks (ANNs). Once trained with the help of characterisation data, such neural networks prove to be a precise simulation tool for describing IPMC response in dry environments.

Electrodeposition of iridium from composite ionic liquid

In order to study the electrodeposition process of iridium in composite ionic liquid, the effects of N, N-dimethylacetamide（DMAC） on the viscosity, conductivity and electrochemical stability of composite ionic liquid BMIC-BMIBF4, as well as the electrochemical behavior of Ir Cl3 in this system were studied. Iridium（Ir） coatings were deposited at different constant potentials and characterized by SEM and XRD. The results show that the addition of DMAC can evidently decrease the viscosity of the composite system, increase conductivity and improve electrochemical stability of the composite system. Cyclic voltammograms of a Au electrode illustrate that the process controlled by diffusion rate is irreversible with the average charge transfer coefficient of 0.170 and average diffusion coefficient of 1.096×10-6 cm^2/s. In addition, SEM image shows that Ir film deposited at the reduction peak potential is dense and even, while XRD pattern shows that Ir deposit is polycrystalline structure.

Properties of Zn-Bi composite coatings prepared by ionic co-discharge deposition

Zn-Bi composite was synthesized by ionic co-discharge deposition and its properties were investigated. The results show that the Zn-Bi composite with the incorporation of Bi has a finer grain size than the pure Zn coating and improves the mechanical properties. The microhardness is increased by approximately two times simply by adding a small amount of Bi electrolyte into a Zn bath solution. A lower volume loss of the Zn-Bi composite coating compared with the pure Zn coating also indicates that the Zn-Bi coating has a better wear resistance.

Oxygen ionic conductivity of a composite electrolyte SDC-LSGM prepared via glycine-nitrate process

Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9-δ-La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ（SDC-LSGM）is prepared by the glycine-nitrate process（GNP）.SDC-LSGM composite electrolyte samples with different weight ratios are prepared by the co-combustion method so as to obtain homogeneous nano-sized precursor powders. The X-ray diffraction （XRD） and the scan electron microscope （SEM） are used to investigate the phases and microstructures. The measurements and analyses of oxygen ionic conductivity of SDC-LSGM are carried out through the four-terminal direct current （DC） method and the electrochemical impendence spectroscopy, respectively. The optimum weight ratio of SDC-LSGM is 8∶2, of which the ionic conductivity is 0.113 S/cm at 800℃ and the conductivity activation energy is 0.620 eV. The impendence spectra shows that the grain boundary resistance becomes the main barrier for the ionic conductivity of electrolyte at lower temperatures. The appropriate introduction of LSGM to the electrolyte SDC can not only decrease the electronic conductivity but also improve the conditions of the grain and grain boundary, which is advantageous to cause an increase in oxygen ionic conductivity.

Enabling high-performance all-solid-state lithium batteries with high ionic conductive sulfide-based composite solid electrolyte and ex-situ artificial SEI film

All-solid-state lithium batteries(ASSLBs) employing sulfide electrolyte and lithium(Li) anode have received increasing attention due to the intrinsic safety and high energy density.However,the thick electrolyte layer and lithium dendrites formed at the electrolyte/Li anode interface hinder the realization of high-performance ASSLBs.Herein,a novel membrane consisting of Li_(6)PS_(5) Cl(LPSCl),poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO) and Li-salt(LiTFSI) was prepared as sulfide-based composite solid electrolyte(LPSCl-PEO3-LiTFSI)(LPSCl:PEO=97:3 wt/wt;EO:Li=8:1 mol/mol),which delivers high ionic conductivity(1.1 × 10^(-3) S cm^(-1)) and wide electrochemical window(4.9 V vs.Li^(+)/Li) at 25 ℃.In addition,an ex-situ artificial solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) film enriched with LiF and Li3 N was designed as a protective layer on Li anode(Li(SEI)) to suppress the growth of lithium dendrites.Benefiting from the synergy of sulfide-based composite solid electrolyte and ex-situ artificial SEI,cells of S-CNTs/LPSCI-PEO3-LiTFSI/Li(SEI) and Al_(2)O_(3)@LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.3)Mn_(0.2)O_(2)/LPSCl-PEO3-LiTFSI/Li(SEI) are assembled and both exhibit high initial discharge capacity of 1221.1 mAh g^(-1)(135.8 mAh g^(-1)) and enhanced cycling stability with 81.6% capacity retention over 200 cycles at 0.05 C(89.2% over 100 cycles at 0.1 C).This work provides a new insight into the synergy of composite solid electrolyte and artificial SEI for achieving high-performance ASSLBs.

Constitutive relationship of ionic polymer-metal composite and static response character of its cantilever setup to voltage

As a new ionic polymer-metal composite(IPMC) for artificial muscle,the mechanical performance parameters and the relationship between the deformation and the electrical parameters of the IPMC were studied. With the digital speckle correlation method,the constitutive relationship of the IPMC was confirmed. With non-contact photography measurement,a cantilever setup was designed to confirm the relationship between the deformation of the IPMC film and the applied voltage. The relationship curve of tip displacement of the IPMC cantilever setup vs the voltage was achieved. The results indicate that the IPMC is isotropic,its elastic modulus is 232 MPa and Poisson ratio is 0.163. The curve achieved from the test of the tip displacement of the IPMC cantilever setup shows that the tip displacement reaches the maximum when the stimulated voltage is 5 V. And the tip displacement descends largely when the frequency of the applied voltage is between 30 mHz and 100 mHz.

Novel Nano-composites SDC–LiNaSO_4 as Functional Layer for ITSOFC

As an ionic conductive functional layer of intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells(ITSOFC), samarium-doped ceria(SDC)–Li Na SO4nano-composites were synthesized by a sol–gel method and their properties were investigated. It was found that the content of Li Na SO4 strongly affected the crystal phase, defect concentration, and conductivity of the composites. When the content of Li Na SO4 was 20 wt%, the highest conductivity of the composite was found to be, respectively, 0.22, 0.26, and 0.35 S cm-1at temperatures of 550, 600, and 700 °C, which are much higher than those of SDC. The peak power density of the single cell using this composite as an interlayer was improved to, respectively, 0.23, 0.39, and 0.88 W cm-2at 500, 600, and 700 °C comparing with that of the SDC-based cell. Further, the SDC–Li Na SO4(20 wt%)-based cell also displayed better thermal stability according to the performance measurements at 560 °C for 50 h. These results reveal that SDC–Li Na SO4 composite may be a potential good candidate as interlayer for ITSOFC due to its high ionic conductivity and thermal stability.

Functional inorganic additives in composite solid-state electrolytes for flexible lithium metal batteries

Flexible lithium metal batteries with high capacity and power density have been regarded as the core power resources of wearable electronics.However,the main challenge lies in the limited electrochemical performance of solid-state polymer electrolytes,which hinders further practical applications.Incorporating functional inorganic additives is an effective approach to improve the performance,including increasing ionic conductivity,achieving dendrite inhibiting capability,and improving safety and stability.Herein,this review summarizes the latest developments of functional inorganic additives in composite solid-state electrolytes for flexible metal batteries with special emphasis on their mechanisms,strategies,and cutting-edge applications,in particular,the relationship between them is discussed in detail.Finally,the perspective on future research directions and the key challenges on this topic are outlooked.

Incorporation of Ionic Conductive Polymers into Sulfide Electrolyte-Based Solid-State Batteries to Enhance Electrochemical Stability and Cycle Life

Sulfide-based inorganic solid electrolytes are promising materials for high-performance safe solid-state batteries.The high ion conductivity,mechanical characteristics,and good processability of sulfide-based inorganic solid electrolytes are desirable properties for realizing high-performance safe solid-state batteries by replacing conventional liquid electrolytes.However,the low chemical and electrochemical stability of sulfide-based inorganic solid electrolytes hinder the commercialization of sulfide-based safe solid-state batteries.Particularly,the instability of sulfide-based inorganic solid electrolytes is intensified in the cathode,comprising various materials.In this study,carbonate-based ionic conductive polymers are introduced to the cathode to protect cathode materials and suppress the reactivity of sulfide electrolytes.Several instruments,including electrochemical spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,and scanning electron microscopy,confirm the chemical and electrochemical stability of the polymer electrolytes in contact with sulfide-based inorganic solid electrolytes.Sulfide-based solid-state cells show stable electrochemical performance over 100 cycles when the ionic conductive polymers were applied to the cathode.

Revealing the specific role of sulfide and nano-alumina in composite solid-state electrolytes for performance-reinforced ether-nitrile copolymers

Composite solid-state electrolytes represent a critical pathway that balances the interface compatibility and lithium-ion conductivity in all-solid-state batteries.The quest for stable and highly ion-conductive combinations between polymers and fillers is vital,but blind attempts are often made due to a lack of understanding of the mechanisms involved in the interaction between polymers and fillers.Herein,we employ in-situ polymerization to prepare a polymer based on an ether-nitrile copolymer with high cathode stability as the foundation and discuss the performance enhancement mechanisms of argyrodite and nano-alumina.With 1%content of sulfide interacting with the polymer at the two-phase interface,the local enhancement of lithium-ion migration capability can be achieved,avoiding the reduction in capacity due to the low ion conductivity of the passivation layer during cycling.The capacity retention after 50cycles at 0.5 C increases from 83.5%to 94.4%.Nano-alumina,through anchoring the anions and interface inhibition functions,eventually poses an initial discharge capacity of 136.8 m A h g^(-1)at 0.5 C and extends the cycling time to 1000 h without short-circuiting in lithium metal batteries.Through the combined action of dual fillers on the composite solid-state electrolyte,promising insights are provided for future material design.

Synthesis and characterization of mixing soft-segmented waterborne polyurethane polymer electrolyte with room temperature ionic liquid

Composite polymer electrolytes based on mixing soft-segment waterborne polyurethane （WPU） and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[（trifluoromethyl）sulfonyl]imide （BMImTFSI） have been prepared and characterized. The addition of BMImTFSI results in an increase of the ionic conductivity. At high BMImTFSI concentration （BMImTFSI/WPU = 3 in weight ratio）, the ionic conductivity reaches 4.27 × 10^-3 S/cm at 30 ℃. These composite polymer electrolytes exhibit good thermal and electrochemical stability, which are high enough to be applied in lithium batteries.

Tailoring Practically Accessible Polymer/Inorganic Composite Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries:A Review

Solid-state electrolytes(SSEs)are widely considered the essential components for upcoming rechargeable lithium-ion batteries owing to the potential for great safety and energy density.Among them,polymer solid-state electrolytes(PSEs)are competitive candidates for replacing commercial liquid electrolytes due to their flexibility,shape versatility and easy machinability.Despite the rapid development of PSEs,their practical application still faces obstacles including poor ionic conductivity,narrow electrochemical stable window and inferior mechanical strength.Polymer/inorganic composite electrolytes(PIEs)formed by adding ceramic fillers in PSEs merge the benefits of PSEs and inorganic solid-state electrolytes(ISEs),exhibiting appreciable comprehensive properties due to the abundant interfaces with unique characteristics.Some PIEs are highly compatible with high-voltage cathode and lithium metal anode,which offer desirable access to obtaining lithium metal batteries with high energy density.This review elucidates the current issues and recent advances in PIEs.The performance of PIEs was remarkably influenced by the characteristics of the fillers including type,content,morphology,arrangement and surface groups.We focus on the molecular interaction between different components in the composite environment for designing high-performance PIEs.Finally,the obstacles and opportunities for creating high-performance PIEs are outlined.This review aims to provide some theoretical guidance and direction for the development of PIEs.

The Critical Role of Fillers in Composite Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery

With excellent energy densities and highly safe performance,solidstate lithium batteries(SSLBs)have been hailed as promising energy storage devices.Solid-state electrolyte is the core component of SSLBs and plays an essential role in the safety and electrochemical performance of the cells.Composite polymer electrolytes(CPEs)are considered as one of the most promising candidates among all solid-state electrolytes due to their excellent comprehensive performance.In this review,we briefly introduce the components of CPEs,such as the polymer matrix and the species of fillers,as well as the integration of fillers in the polymers.In particular,we focus on the two major obstacles that affect the development of CPEs:the low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and high interfacial impedance.We provide insight into the factors influencing ionic conductivity,in terms of macroscopic and microscopic aspects,including the aggregated structure of the polymer,ion migration rate and carrier concentration.In addition,we also discuss the electrode-electrolyte interface and summarize methods for improving this interface.It is expected that this review will provide feasible solutions for modifying CPEs through further understanding of the ion conduction mechanism in CPEs and for improving the compatibility of the electrode-electrolyte interface.

Rational Design of High-Performance PEO/Ceramic Composite Solid Electrolytes for Lithium Metal Batteries

Composite solid electrolytes(CSEs)with poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)have become fairly prevalent for fabricating high-performance solid-state lithium metal batteries due to their high Li~+solvating capability,flexible processability and low cost.However,unsatisfactory room-temperature ionic conductivity,weak interfacial compatibility and uncontrollable Li dendrite growth seriously hinder their progress.Enormous efforts have been devoted to combining PEO with ceramics either as fillers or major matrix with the rational design of two-phase architecture,spatial distribution and content,which is anticipated to hold the key to increasing ionic conductivity and resolving interfacial compatibility within CSEs and between CSEs/electrodes.Unfortunately,a comprehensive review exclusively discussing the design,preparation and application of PEO/ceramic-based CSEs is largely lacking,in spite of tremendous reviews dealing with a broad spectrum of polymers and ceramics.Consequently,this review targets recent advances in PEO/ceramicbased CSEs,starting with a brief introduction,followed by their ionic conduction mechanism,preparation methods,and then an emphasis on resolving ionic conductivity and interfacial compatibility.Afterward,their applications in solid-state lithium metal batteries with transition metal oxides and sulfur cathodes are summarized.Finally,a summary and outlook on existing challenges and future research directions are proposed.

Recent advances of composite electrolytes for solid-state Li batteries

All-solid-state lithium batteries(ASSLBs)are recognized as high energy density batteries system without safety issues within the next generation of batteries.The development of solid electrolytes is the crucial step of ASSLBs.The composite electrolyte has stable physical and electrochemical characteristics,and its comprehensive performance surpasses the individual solid electrolyte,bringing unique vitality to the solid electrolyte.However,their intrinsic weakness limits the development of composite electrolytes.In this review,we provide a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities of composite electrolytes,with special focus on mechanisms of ion transport,nanostructure design towards high ionic conductivity,interfacial issues within electrolytes and electrodes.Furthermore,future development is prospected,which can shed light on researchers in this field and accelerate the industrial production of composite electrolytes.

Ionic Liquid as Useful Media for Dissolution, Derivatization, and Nanomaterial Processing of Chitin

This paper reviews studies on dissolution, derivatization, and nanomaterial processing of chitin using an ionic liquid as useful media. Because chitin is the second most abundant polysaccharide on the earth after cellulose, there is major interest in conversion of native chitin resources into various useful materials after proper dissolution in suitable solvents. For the derivatization and nanomaterial processing of chitin, the author has been focusing on ionic liquids because which have been found to be used as good solvents for cellulose in a past decade. The author found that an ionic liquid, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (AMIMBr), dissolved chitin in concentrations up to 4.8 wt% and mixtures of the higher amounts of chitin with AMIMBr gave ion gels. Acetylation, the simplest derivatization, of chitin using acetic anhydride was achieved in the AMIMBr solvent under mild conditions. Furthermore, the chitin nanofibers were fabricated by regeneration technique from the chitin ion gel with AMIMBr using methanol. Moreover, filtration of the chitin nanofiber dispersion with methanol was carried out to give a chitin nanofiber film. The chitin nanofiber-poly(vinyl alcohol) composite film was also prepared from the ion gel by co-regeneration method.

Bionic structure of shark's gill jet orifice based on artificial muscle

Based on the biological prototype characteristics of shark’s gill jet orifice,the flexible driving characteristics of ionic exchange polymer metal composites(IPMC)artificial muscle materials and the use of sleeve flexible connector,the IPMC linear driving unit simulation model is built and the IPMC material-driving dynamic control structure of bionic gill unit is developed.Meanwhile,through the stress analysis of bionic gill plate and the motion simulation of bionic gill unit,it is verified that various dynamic control and active control of the jet orifice under the condition of different mainstream field velocities will be taken by using IPMC material-driving.Moreover,the large-deflection deformation of bionic gill plate under dynamic pressure and the comparative analysis with that of a rigid gill plate is studied,leading to the achievement of approximate revised modifier from real value to theoretical value of the displacement control of IPMC.

Efficient Thickness of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Composite Electrode

The efficient thickness of a composite electrode for solid oxide fuel cells was directly calculated by developing a physical model taking into account of the charge transfer process, the oxygen ion and electron transportation, and the microstructure characteristics of the electrode. The efficient thickness, which is defined as the electrode thickness corresponding to the minimum electrode polarization resistance, is formulated as a function of charge transfer resistivity, effective resistivity to ion and electron transport, and three-phase boundary length per unit volume. The model prediction is compared with the experimental reports to check the validity. Simulation is performed to show the effect of microstructure, intrinsic material properties, and electrode reaction mechanism on the efficient thickness. The results suggest that when an electrode is fabricated, its thickness should be controlled regarding its composition, particle size of its components, the intrinsic ionic and electronic conductivities,and its reaction mechanisms as well as the expected operation temperatures. The sensitivity of electrode polarization resistance to its thickness is also discussed.