Switchable PNIPAm/PPyNT Hydrogel for Smart Supercapacitors: External Control of Capacitance for Pulsed Energy Generation or Prolongation of Discharge Time

Supercapacitors based on nonresponsive polymer hydrogels are gaining significant attention due to their fabrication simplicity and high potential for wearable electronics. However, the use of smart hydrogels in supercapacitor design remains unexplored. In this work, a smart externally controlled supercapacitor based on a temperature-responsive hydrogel doped with polypyrrole nanotubes (PPyNTs) is proposed. The redistribution of PPyNTs in the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel can be reversibly controlled by light illumination or temperature increase, leading to on-demand formation/disruption of the nanotube conductive network, due to release/entrapping of the nanotubes from PNIPAm globule volume on surface. The switchable material was introduced in a supercapacitor design as an active and smart electrode, responsible for external control of charge transport and storage. The created device showed a switchable supercapacitor performance with an ability to significantly and rapidly change capacity under heating/cooling or light illumination. The external trigger was applied for static or dynamic control of supercapacitor behavior: prolongation of discharge time (with constant electric loading) or vice-versa pronounced acceleration of supercapacitor discharge. The proposed smart material-based supercapacitor can find a range of attractive applications in backup energy storage or high power pulse generation.