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Cui Y, Chen W, Xin W, Ling H, Hu Y, Zhang Z, He X, Zhao Y, Kong XY, Wen L, Jiang L. Gradient Quasi-Solid Electrolyte Enables Selective and Fast Ion Transport for Robust Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries. Adv Mater 2024; 36:e2308639. [PMID: 37923399 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The quasi-solid electrolytes (QSEs) attract extensive attention due to their improved ion transport properties and high stability, which is synergistically based on tunable functional groups and confined solvent molecules among the polymetric networks. However, the trade-off effect between the polymer content and ionic conductivity exists in QSEs, limiting their rate performance. In this work, the epitaxial polymerization strategy is used to build the gradient hydrogel networks (GHNs) covalently fixed on zinc anode. Then, it is revealed that the asymmetric distribution of negative charges benefits GHNs with fast and selective ionic transport properties, realizing a higher Zn2+ transference number of 0.65 than that (0.52) for homogeneous hydrogel networks (HHNs) with the same polymer content. Meanwhile, the high-density networks formed at Zn/GHNs interface can efficiently immobilize free water molecules and homogenize the Zn2+ flux, greatly inhibiting the water-involved parasitic reactions and dendrite growth. Thus, the GHNs enable dendrite-free stripping/plating over 1000 h at 8 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2 in a Zn||Zn symmetric cell, as well as the evidently prolonged cycles in various full cells. This work will shed light on asymmetric engineering of ion transport channels in advanced quasi-solid battery systems to achieve high energy and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanglansen Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Weipeng Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Weiwen Xin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Haoyang Ling
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yuhao Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Zhehua Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofeng He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yong Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for High-efficiency Display and Lighting Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
| | - Xiang-Yu Kong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Liping Wen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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Piazza F, Parisse P, Passerino J, Marsich E, Bersanini L, Porrelli D, Baj G, Donati I, Sacco P. Controlled Quenching of Agarose Defines Hydrogels with Tunable Structural, Bulk Mechanical, Surface Nanomechanical, and Cell Response in 2D Cultures. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2300973. [PMID: 37369130 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202300973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The scaffolding of agarose hydrogel networks depends critically on the rate of cooling (quenching) after heating. Efforts are made to understand the kinetics and evolution of biopolymer self-assembly upon cooling, but information is lacking on whether quenching might affect the final hydrogel structure and performance. Here, a material strategy for the fine modulation of quenching that involves temperature-curing steps of agarose is reported. Combining microscopy techniques, standard and advanced macro/nanomechanical tools, it is revealed that agarose accumulates on the surface when the curing temperature is set at 121 °C. The inhomogeneity can be mostly recovered when it is reduced to 42 °C. This has a drastic effect on the stiffness of the surface, but not on the viscoelasticity, roughness, and wettability. When hydrogels are strained at small/large deformations, the curing temperature has no effect on the viscoelastic response of the hydrogel bulk but does play a role in the onset of the non-linear region. Cells cultured on these hydrogels exhibit surface stiffness-sensing that affects cell adhesion, spreading, F-actin fiber tension, and assembly of vinculin-rich focal adhesions. Collectively, the results indicate that the temperature curing of agarose is an efficient strategy to produce networks with tunable mechanics and is suitable for mechanobiology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Piazza
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste, I-34127, Italy
| | - Pietro Parisse
- NanoInnovation Lab, Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Trieste, I-34149, Italy
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM-CNR), Area Science Park, Trieste, I-34149, Italy
| | - Julia Passerino
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste, I-34127, Italy
| | - Eleonora Marsich
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale 1, Trieste, I-34129, Italy
| | - Luca Bersanini
- Optics11 Life, Hettenheuvelweg 37-39, Amsterdam, 1101 BM, The Netherlands
| | - Davide Porrelli
- Interdepartmental Centre for Advanced Microscopy, Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Alexander Fleming 31/A, Trieste, I-34127, Italy
| | - Gabriele Baj
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste, I-34127, Italy
| | - Ivan Donati
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste, I-34127, Italy
| | - Pasquale Sacco
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, Trieste, I-34127, Italy
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