Conductive Hydrogel Materials for Flexible Supercapacitor Electrodes

Abstract

Flexible supercapacitors (SCs), as promising energy storage devices, have shown great potential for both next-generation wearable electronics and addressing the global energy crisis. Conductive hydrogels (CHs) are suitable electrode materials for flexible SCs on account of their intrinsic characteristics and functional advantages, such as a unique 3D porous structure, remarkable conductivity, tunable chemical and physical properties, and outstanding mechanical properties. Herein, an overview of the fabrication strategies for CHs as electrode materials in flexible SCs, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, and perspectives on CH-based SCs is provided. First, the fabrication strategies for CHs are systematically introduced. Second, various multifunctional CH-based SCs are presented and discussed. Finally, this review concludes with insights into the challenges and opportunities related to CHs or CH-based SCs, indicating future research prospects and application orientations in this field.