An aqueous, wide-voltage window and biodegradable all-solid-state supercapacitor with an ultrahigh energy density

• Published in: Industrial crops and products Vol. 187; p. 115516
• Main Authors: Jiang, Tong-Bao, Zhang, Wen-Wen, Wu, Kai-Li, Wu, Ming, Wang, Han-Min, Liu, Wei, Hou, Qing-Xi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2022
• Subjects: All-solid-state supercapacitor; Gel polymer electrolyte (GPE); Hierarchical porous carbon; Poplar wood chips; All-solid-state supercapacitor; Poplar wood chips; Hierarchical porous carbon; Gel polymer electrolyte (GPE)
• ISSN: 0926-6690; 1872-633X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115516

The growing demand for energy, coupled with the environmental pollution induced by traditional energy production, is pushing to find solutions for renewable energy storage. Herein, hierarchical porous carbon with a high specific surface area (2449.6 m2/g) has been synthesized from poplar wood chips by the molten salt activation. Simultaneously, a gel polymer electrolyte with excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability and biodegradability was prepared from α-cellulose. A simple all-solid-state supercapacitor was fabricated via hierarchical porous structure carbon electrodes and a gel polymer electrolyte, and the resultant device exhibited a high specific capacitance (133.0 F/g at 0.5 A/g) and an ideal capacitance retention rate (90.4% after 10,000 cycles). In addition, the device presented superior energy density (18.5 Wh/kg) and power density (500.0 W/kg) as compared with other supercapacitors. Interestingly, the gel polymer electrolyte showed a favorable natural degradation rate under aerobic sludge condition. Therefore, this fabricated electric double layer capacitor is expected to be used as a green and sustainable electronic device with amiable economic availability and environmental friendliness. ●Poplar wood-based porous carbon was prepared by molten salt activation.●The achieved porous carbon exhibited a high specific surface area of 2449.6 m2/g.●The gel electrolyte showed a favorable degradation rate.●The fabricated all-solid-state supercapacitor has a superior energy density of 18.5 Wh/kg.