A supercapacitor contains the zwitterionic polymer hydrogel electrolyte. A change rate of a capacitance retention of the supercapacitor, relative to a specific area capacity at 25° C. is less than 25% at extreme temperature. When temperature is increased to 60° C. or reduced to −30° C. the specific area capacity is changed to 178 mF cm.sup.−2 and 134 mF cm.sup.−2, which are 104% and 78% of that at 25° C. indicating an excellent electrochemical property at the extreme temperature.

The present disclosure provides an electrochemical storage cell including a battery. The battery includes an alkali metal anode having an anode Fermi energy, an electronically insulating, amorphous, dried solid electrolyte able to conduct alkali metal, having the general formula A.sub.3-xH.sub.xOX, in which 0≦x≦1, A is the alkali metal, and X is at least one halide, and a cathode including a cathode current collector having a cathode Fermi energy lower than the anode Fermi energy. During operation of the electrochemical storage cell, the alkali metal plates dendrite-free from the solid electrolyte onto the alkali metal anode. Also during operation of the electrochemical storage cell, the alkali metal further plates on the cathode current collector.

Provided are composite electrolytes having a bio-based gel electrolyte in an ordered structure of a porous solid. In some embodiments, the gel electrolyte includes a glycolate gel, a glycerate gel, a bio-based compound-derived gel or a combination thereof. Also provided are electrochemical systems (electrodeposition), redox flow batteries, fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries and lithium-metal batteries including the composite electrolytes, and methods for producing gel electrolytes. In some embodiments, the methods including reacting a polyol, optionally ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol, diethylene glycol, glycerol, or any combination thereof, with a lithium metal and/or a lithium salt, optionally lithium hydroxide, a sodium salt, optionally sodium hydroxide (NaOH), NaTFSI, NaBF.sub.4, or NaPF.sub.6; an aluminum salt; a potassium salt, a magnesium salt; a calcium salt; a zinc salt; or any combination thereof.

An energy-storage device is provided. It includes a charge-storing supercapacitor cell comprised of electrodes at least one of which includes a nano-carbon component, a ion-permeable membrane and an electrolyte characterised in that the cell is embedded or encapsulated in a flexible or rigid matrix.

An energy-storage device is provided. It includes a charge-storing supercapacitor cell comprised of electrodes at least one of which includes a nano-carbon component, a ion-permeable membrane and an electrolyte characterised in that the cell is embedded or encapsulated in a flexible or rigid matrix.

There is disclosed a process of producing a hybrid super-capacitor (HSC) electrode, the process comprising performing nitridation-induced in situ coupling of Ni—Co.sub.4N nanoparticles in an N-doped carbon matrix, wherein the resultant hybrid super-capacitor (HSC) electrode is a Ni—Co.sub.4N@NC electrode. The resultant hybrid super-capacitor (HSC) electrode is a self-supported metal nitride coordinated with N-doped carbon, wherein the nitridation-induced in situ coupling is performed via a facile pyrolysis of layered Ni—Co hydroxide decorated on polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes on the basis of a carbon cloth (CC). Also disclosed is a hybrid supercapacitor cell assembled by employing Ni—Co.sub.4N-2@NC as a positive electrode and AC as a negative electrode with a PVA (poly vinyl alcohol)/KOH as a gel electrolyte.

There is disclosed a process of producing a hybrid super-capacitor (HSC) electrode, the process comprising performing nitridation-induced in situ coupling of Ni—Co.sub.4N nanoparticles in an N-doped carbon matrix, wherein the resultant hybrid super-capacitor (HSC) electrode is a Ni—Co.sub.4N@NC electrode. The resultant hybrid super-capacitor (HSC) electrode is a self-supported metal nitride coordinated with N-doped carbon, wherein the nitridation-induced in situ coupling is performed via a facile pyrolysis of layered Ni—Co hydroxide decorated on polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes on the basis of a carbon cloth (CC). Also disclosed is a hybrid supercapacitor cell assembled by employing Ni—Co.sub.4N-2@NC as a positive electrode and AC as a negative electrode with a PVA (poly vinyl alcohol)/KOH as a gel electrolyte.

A nanowire energy storage device such as a nanowire battery or a capacitor having a cathode comprising a plurality of nanowires and an anode comprising a plurality of nanowires interlaced with the plurality of nanowires of the cathode, and embedded in a PMMA gel electrolyte.

A nanowire energy storage device such as a nanowire battery or a capacitor having a cathode comprising a plurality of nanowires and an anode comprising a plurality of nanowires interlaced with the plurality of nanowires of the cathode, and embedded in a PMMA gel electrolyte.

A process of forming a cross-linked electronically active hydrophilic co-polymer is provided and includes the steps of: a. mixing an intrinsically electronically active material and at least one compound of formula (I) with water to form an intermediate mixture; b. adding at least one hydrophilic monomer, at least one hydrophobic monomer, and at least one cross-linker to the intermediate mixture to form a co-monomer mixture; and c. polymerising the co-monomer mixture. Formula (I) is defined as: ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently optionally substituted C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl and X.sup.− is an anion.