BeDimensional (Italy)

Abstract This work investigates the influence of ionic radius on the charge storage behavior of molybdenum carbide MXene electrodes (Mo 2 CCl 2 ) produced through the molten salt etching method for application in aqueous-based supercapacitors (SCs). Various electrolytes, i.e ., 3 M H 2 SO 4 , 1 M Li 2 SO 4 , 1 M Na 2 SO 4 , and 0.6 M K 2 SO 4 were investigated, revealing that the small cation (H + ) enhances the SCs capacitance through fast redox kinetics and high ionic mobility. To elucidate the role of anions, neutral electrolytes (8 m NaNO 3 , 2 M NaCl, and 1 M Na 2 SO 4 ) were also explored, enabling a wide voltage window and stable operation of SCs. An asymmetric supercapacitor was assembled using Mo 2 CCl 2 /FLG (few-layer graphene) as the pseudocapacitive electrode and FLG/CG/ (curved graphene) as the EDLC counterpart. In this configuration, FLG prevents MXene restacking while CG provides abundant electroactive sites, resulting in enhanced energy density and cycling durability. These results highlight the combined effect of electrolyte ion selection and hybrid electrode engineering toward high-performance, durable aqueous energy-storage devices.

In the food industry, innovative packaging solutions are increasingly important for reducing food waste and contributing to global sustainability efforts. However, current food packaging is generally passive and unable to adapt to changes in the food environment in real time. To address this, a battery‐less and autonomous smart packaging system is developed that wirelessly powers closed‐loop sensing and release of active compounds. This system integrates a gas sensor for real‐time food monitoring, a Near‐Field Communication (NFC) antenna, and a controlled release of active compounds to prevent quality deterioration in the complex food environment. The ability of the developed smart packaging system is demonstrated, to continuously monitor the freshness of fish products and to trigger the release of active compounds when the food starts to spoil. The system is able to extend the shelf‐life of the food product up to 14 days, due to the controlled release of antioxidant and antibacterial compounds. The system can pave the way toward an Internet of Things solution that addresses protection, active prevention of food spoilage, and sustainability, facing all the current challenges of the food packaging industry.

The design of interfaces between nanostructured electrodes and advanced electrolytes is critical for realizing advanced electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) that combine high charge-storage capacity, high-rate capability, and enhanced safety. Toward this goal, this work presents a novel and sustainable approach for fabricating ionogel-based electrodes using a renewed slurry casting method, in which the solvent is replaced by the ionic liquid (IL), namely 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (EMIFSI). This method avoids time-consuming and costly electrolyte-filling steps by integrating the IL directly into the electrode during slurry preparation, while improving the rate capability of EDLCs based on pure non-flammable ILs. The resulting ionogel electrodes demonstrate exceptional electrolyte accessibility and enable the production of symmetric EDLCs with high energy density (over 30 Wh kg-1 based on electrode material weight) and high-rate performance. These EDLCs could operate at temperatures up to 180 °C, far exceeding the limitations of traditional EDLCs based on organic electrolytes (e. g., 1 M TEABF4 in acetonitrile, up to 65 °C). Ionogel-type EDLCs exhibit remarkable long-term stability, retaining 88 % specific capacity after 10000 galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles at 10 A g-1 and demonstrating superior retention compared to conventional EDLCs (50 %), while also maintaining 92.4 % energy density during 100 h floating tests at 2.7 V. These electrochemical properties highlight their potential for robust performance under demanding conditions. This study highpoints the practical potential of ionogel-based electrodes to advance IL-based EDLC technology, paving the way for next-generation energy storage devices with high-temperature and high-voltage operational capabilities.

Perovskite solar cells promise to be part of the future portfolio of photovoltaic technologies, but their instability is slow down their commercialization. Major stability assessments have been recently achieved but reliable accelerated ageing tests on beyond small-area cells are still poor. Here, we report an industrial encapsulation process based on the lamination of highly viscoelastic semi-solid/highly viscous liquid adhesive atop the perovskite solar cells and modules. Our encapsulant reduces the thermomechanical stresses at the encapsulant/rear electrode interface. The addition of thermally conductive two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride into the polymeric matrix improves the barrier and thermal management properties of the encapsulant. Without any edge sealant, encapsulated devices withstood multifaceted accelerated ageing tests, retaining >80% of their initial efficiency. Our encapsulation is applicable to the most established cell configurations (direct/inverted, mesoscopic/planar), even with temperature-sensitive materials, and extended to semi-transparent cells for building-integrated photovoltaics and Internet of Things systems.

Abstract State‐of‐the art Electrochemical Double‐Layer Capacitors (EDLCs) usually extend their operating electrochemical stability window (ESW) by means of organic electrolytes, or highly concentrated aqueous (water‐in‐salt) electrolytes hindering parasitic water splitting reactions. Unfortunately, organic solvents and high concentrations of ions penalize the dielectric constant of the electrolyte, hence the capacitive performance. We suggest here a new concept of cost‐effective and sustainable aqueous electrolytes based on concentrated amino acid water solutions with a dielectric permittivity much higher than pure water, unlocking the capacitive performance of aqueous EDLC references. Amino acids are natural zwitterionic molecules with a large separation between the positive and negative moiety, leading to huge dipoles with excellent dielectric properties. Some of them (e. g., lysine and proline), have a solubility 10 m at ambient temperature. With an experimental characterization we prove that aqueous EDLCs based on electrolytes obtained with L‐ lysine or L‐proline added to 2 M NaNO3 solution have +50 % of gravimetric capacitance enhancement at low specific currents (0.1 A/g) compared to a reference device based on 2 M NaNO3 electrolyte without amino acids. A theoretical model suggests that this performance may be further enhanced by increasing the ionic accessibility of commercially available active materials, with porosity optimized to the size of amino acid ions.

Li–S batteries (LSBs) comprising two Kagome imine COFs as modifiers for Celgard separators are fabricated. The work highlights the cooperative effect of polysulfide trapping, Li+ sieving and electrocatalytic properties for high-performance LSBs.

Abstract Sensors and transducers enable the robots’ movements and interactions with humans and the environment. Particularly, tactile and motion sensors, even those inspired by the human skin, often miss many of its essential features. Indeed, the materials that constitute such sensors are often rigid and lack self‐healing and biodegradability. Furthermore, the large‐scale diffusion of these technologies propelled by robots spread in many aspects of the lives, from industrial to household settings, contributes heavily to the electronic and robotic waste problem. Recycling strategies for materials for robotics sensors are thus pivotal for future development. This work proposes self‐healable, recyclable, and biodegradable electrically conductive coatings. These coatings are based on conductive inks that combine graphene nanoplatelets and carbon nanofibers with a soft biodegradable vitrimer binder and are realized by spray coating. The use of the vitrimer ensures satisfying adhesion to diverse substrates, flexibility, conformability, self‐healing, and recyclability of the conductive coating. This material is a sustainable alternative to standard conductive inks for flexible electronics and soft robotics. Indeed, tests for the live monitoring of SoftHand3, the grasping system of many worldwide diffused robots, have yielded promising results. The use of biodegradable ingredients and the possibility of recycling makes it an appealing material to face the sustainability issue of today's electronics and robotics.

As a vital step towards the industrialization of perovskite solar cells, outdoor field tests of large-scale perovskite modules and panels represent a mandatory step to be accomplished. Here we demonstrate the manufacturing of large-area (0.5 m2) perovskite solar panels, each containing 40 modules whose interfaces are engineered with two-dimensional materials (GRAphene-PErovskite (GRAPE) panels). We further integrate nine GRAPE panels for a total panel area of 4.5 m2 in a stand-alone solar farm infrastructure with peak power exceeding 250 W, proving the scalability of this technology. We provide insights on the system operation by analysing the panel characteristics as a function of temperature and light intensity. The analysis, carried out over a months-long timescale, highlights the key role of the lamination process of the panels on the entire system degradation. A life-cycle assessment based on primary data indicates the high commercial potential of the GRAPE panel technology in terms of energy and environmental performances.