Applications of Gels in Energy Materials and Devices
A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Analysis and Characterization".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 792
Special Issue Editor
Interests: lithium and sodium-ion batteries, lithium-air batteries, energy storage materials synthesis, and advanced characterization; electrocatalyst; electrochemistry; nanomaterials; X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS); ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering; X-ray nano imaging
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Gels are solid three-dimensional networks that entrap a liquid medium through surface tension. Different types of gels range from soft to weak to hard and robust. Some gels form when two or more substances are mixed with heating, while others form when a liquid is cooled down to a certain temperature. Their unique properties, such as their ability to hold large quantities of liquid in a concentrated form and their stability and inertness, lead to their use in various products, from food to cosmetics. However, Gels are prevalent in pharmaceuticals, environmental and bio-related fields and are highly desirable in materials and devices that generate, convert, and store energy.
Energy is the lifeblood of industry and drives the wheels of progress in modern society. Energy is also essential for our daily lives, powering our homes and businesses and providing essential services such as transportation, communications, and health care. Without access to energy, we would be unable to live as we do today. There has been a global surge in interest in energy conversion and storage. This is driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and the demand for renewable energy sources. Companies invest heavily in researching and developing new technologies such as batteries, fuel cells, and renewable energy sources. Notably, Gels can also exhibit considerable properties at the electronic, optoelectronic, and electrochemical levels. Gels can provide a high surface area while being flexible and lightweight. Gels can also store and release energy when exposed to heat and pressure. These properties make them suitable for various applications, such as energy storage, sensors, optoelectronic devices, and fuel cells. Since the number of publications for these lines of research is rising, I believe this is an ideal opportunity to announce a Special Issue more focused on these new applications (electronics, energy capturing, energy storage, and harvesting) for gels.
As the title suggests, this Special Issue focuses on the synthesis and characterization of diverse gel-based materials for use as energy-producing devices (solar or fuel cells), energy reconversion systems (hydrogen peroxide production, CO2 capture, etc.), and energy storage devices (supercapacitors, batteries). I hope the Special Issue will unite researchers from diverse backgrounds to exchange knowledge, ideas, and views on the latest advancements in gel-based materials for energy applications.
In this Special Issue, theoretical and experimental contributions in the form of literature reviews, full-length original research articles, and short communications are welcome.
Dr. Mobinul Islam
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- polymer gel
- gel precursor
- hydrogels
- gel membrane
- solar cell
- batteries
- sol–gel method
- energy devices
- energy conversion
- energy harvesting
- supercapacitor
- flexible batteries
- H2O2 production
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