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Liu et al. Soft Sci 2024;4:44 Soft Science
DOI: 10.20517/ss.2024.59

Review Article Open Access

Construction and application of thermogalvanic

hydrogels

1
1,*
2,*
1
1,*
Wei Liu , Yi Fang , Xiaolin Lyu , Xiangfang Peng , Zhong-Zhen Luo , Zhigang Zou 1
1
Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials Technologies, International (HongKong Macao and Taiwan) Joint Laboratory on
Advanced Materials Technologies, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian,
China.
2
Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Products of Universities in Fujian, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fujian
University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, Fujian, China.
*
Correspondence to: Prof. Xiaolin Lyu, Prof. Zhong-Zhen Luo, Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials Technologies, International
(HongKong Macao and Taiwan) Joint Laboratory on Advanced Materials Technologies, College of Materials Science and
Engineering, Fuzhou University, Xueyuan Road, College Town, Minhou County, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian, China. E-mail:
lyuxiaolin@fzu.edu.cn, zzluo@fzu.edu.cn; Prof. Xiangfang Peng, Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Products of Universities
in Fujian, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Fujian University of Technology, Xuefu South Road, Shangshang Town,
Minhou County, Fuzhou 350118, Fujian, China. E-mail: pengxf@fjut.edu.cn
How to cite this article: Liu W, Fang Y, Lyu X, Peng X, Luo ZZ, Zou Z. Construction and application of thermogalvanic hydrogels.
Soft Sci 2024;4:44. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/ss.2024.59
Received: 31 Oct 2024 First Decision: 11 Dec 2024 Revised: 30 Dec 2024 Accepted: 30 Dec 2024 Published: 31 Dec 2024

Academic Editors: YongAn Huang, Renkun Chen Copy Editor: Ting-Ting Hu Production Editor: Ting-Ting Hu

Abstract
Low-grade heat (below 373 Kelvins) is abundant and ubiquitous, yet the lack of cost-effective recovery
technologies frequently impedes its effective utilization. The advent of thermogalvanic hydrogel thermocells has
garnered significant attention due to their high thermopower, inherent flexibility, low cost, and scalability.
Thermogalvanic hydrogels have significantly enhanced their thermoelectric performance, resulting in the
development of functional materials that exhibit flexibility, stretchability, self-healing, and frost resistance.
However, there are substantial challenges in developing multifunctional thermogalvanic hydrogels that combine
high power density and efficiency with practical applicability. This review discusses the synthesis of the novel redox
couple, improving the performance of electrolytes to increase thermopower, creating electrodes with extensive
surface areas for better current density and flexibility, and optimizing thermocell structure design to improve
performance further. This comprehensive review aims to propel progress toward higher performance levels and
broader applications of thermogalvanic hydrogel thermocells.

Keywords: Thermogalvanic hydrogel, thermocell, thermogalvanic effect, thermopower, energy output

© The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
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