title: Synthesis and Characterization of Cellulose-Based Hydrogels to Be Used as Gel Electrolytes.
abstract: Cellulose-based hydrogels, obtained by tuned, low-cost synthetic routes, are proposed as convenient gel electrolyte membranes. Hydrogels have been prepared from different types of cellulose by optimized solubilization and crosslinking steps. The obtained gel membranes have been characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical tests in order to investigate the crosslinking occurrence and modifications of cellulose resulting from the synthetic process, morphology of the hydrogels, their thermal stability, and viscoelastic-extensional properties, respectively. Hydrogels liquid uptake capability and ionic conductivity, derived from absorption of aqueous electrolytic solutions, have been evaluated, to assess the successful applicability of the proposed membranes as gel electrolytes for electrochemical devices. To this purpose, the redox behavior of electroactive species entrapped into the hydrogels has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry tests, revealing very high reversibility and ion diffusivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy. mariassunta.navarra@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Maria Assunta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Navarra
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy. chiara.dalbosco@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dal Bosco
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy. jusebcn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Serra Moreno
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISC, UOS La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy. francesco.vitucci@roma1.infn.it.
authors.forename: Francesco Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Vitucci
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISC, UOS La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy. annalisa.paolone@roma1.infn.it.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paolone
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy. stefania.panero@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panero
keywords: cellulose hydrogels; gel electrolyte membranes; ionic conductivity and diffusivity; swelling behavior