Demonstrating phase separation and hydrophobicity of the bioderived electrolyte
What is Ionic Liquid
Ionic liquids are composed of positive and negative ions (cations and anions) and are nonvolatile, biocompatible, and flame retardant. When voltage is applied, ionic liquids form a very thin 1 nm gap, called the electric double layer, at the electrode-ionic liquid interface. This layer acts as a capacitor, and the ionic liquid exhibits a very large capacitance (several µF/cm2). Ionic gels, which have the properties of ionic liquids dispersed in polymers, are attracting attention as electronic materials.
Eco-friendly Ionic Gel
The Internet of Things (IoT), in which various “objects” are equipped with wireless sensor terminals and connected to the Internet, has attracted much attention, and it is estimated that the number of wireless sensor terminals used in the Internet is 10 trillion. However, when these wireless sensor terminals are discarded, it is assumed that they will be discarded in the environment because they cannot be recovered due to their huge number. Therefore, supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, which use hazardous materials among electronic components, are considered to trigger serious environmental pollution by leaking from wireless sensor terminals. In this study, we are conducting research and development of environmentally friendly electronics by fabricating ion gels using ionic liquids and polymers with environmentally benign properties. Furthermore, focusing on the biocompatibility of ionic liquids, we are developing body-friendly, minimally invasive flexible devices.
S. Yamada, et al., Small, vol. 14, no. 32, p. 1800937, Jun. 2018.
