Repurposing PVA-based slime to address electrolyte challenges in portable electrochemical devices

Abstract

Application-oriented materials are being developed at a rapid pace, each providing enhanced properties compared to the existing options. While it is evident that these materials are proven to contribute positively to the intended application, they are often not translated to commercial utilization due to multiple reasons. Some of the reasons are the lack of ready availability of raw materials, their high cost or the requirement of multistep procedures of synthesis. In some cases, the reported shelf life of the material was evaluated only for a short span or has been studied under simulated accelerated conditions, which may vary in real-life scenarios. All these factors pose significant hurdles to their commercialization. Under such circumstances, repurposing appropriate commercially available materials, which exhibit enhanced shelf life and cost-effectiveness for novel applications, presents a feasible route to reduce the time required for commercial deployment. This perspective paper focuses on the scope of repurposing poly vinyl alcohol (PVA)-based slime as an electrolyte for portable electrochemical devices. An electrochemical measurement necessitates the presence of adequate salts for ionic conductivity. The conventional liquid electrolytes cause corrosion when spilled or seeped into the underlying surface. A spill-proof electrolyte with adequate flow properties is crucial for the development of in situ electrochemical probes. The gel electrolytes, which are currently being explored widely, have their own challenges. Originally marketed as a sensory toy, due to its low cost, inert, biocompatible nature, strippability, and long shelf life, slime has the potential to be used as an electrolyte because of the fact that borax in it provides sufficient ionic conductivity. Thus, PVA-based slime with its unique combination of characteristics is a potential material to be explored as another alternative to liquid electrolyte and conventional polymeric gels. However, to date, the medium has only been engineered from the perspective of improving mechanical properties to suit applications. This work analyzes the perspective of engineering slime medium for enhanced flow properties to achieve high ionic conductivity and conformability while retaining its strippability and spill-proof nature.