Synthesis and Characterization of Core-shell ZrO2/PAAEM/PS Nanoparticles

This work demonstrates the synthesis of core-shell ZrO2/PAAEM/PS nanoparticles through a combination of sol–gel method and emulsifier-free emulsion polymerizaiton. By this method, the modified nanometer ZrO2cores were prepared by chemical modification at a molecular level of zirconium propoxide with monomer of acetoacetoxyethylmethacrylate (AAEM), and then copolymerized with vinyl monomer to form uniform-size hybrid nanoparticles with diameter of around 250 nm. The morphology, composition, and thermal stability of the core-shell particles were characterized by various techniques including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermal-gravimetry analyzer (TGA). The results indicate that the inorganic–organic nanocomposites exhibit good thermal stability with the maximum decomposition temperature of ~447 °C. This approach would be useful for the synthesis of other inorganic–organic nanocomposites with desired functionalities

Polymerization kinetics of microgel particles

International audienc

Polymerization kinetics of microgel particles

International audienc

Flexible Polymer Hydrogels for Wearable Energy Storage Applications

The recent and fast-growing trends related to the development of wearable technologies have raised the need for efficient and high-performance energy storage devices having extra features such as flexibility and lightweight. Polymer hydrogels, as viscoelastic lightweight porous nanostructures with tunable surface and structural properties, can play a crucial role in the design of these future energy storage devices. Herein, recent developments and progress in the use of polymer hydrogels to design flexible and wearable energy storage devices are presented and discussed. The 3D structure of polymer hydrogels and porous nanostructures based on these hydrogels provides a platform to design flexible supercapacitors, batteries, and personal thermal management devices. Here, different types of polymer hydrogels are presented, and their main fabrication techniques are reported. Moreover, the main structural properties affecting the energy storage performance of polymer hydrogels are discussed. In addition to recent progress in the design of polymer-hydrogel-based wearable devices, recent developments in polymer hydrogels for flexible applications (batteries, supercapacitors, and thermal energy storage systems) are reviewed in detail