Flexible, biodegradable and biocompatible supercondenser

1. A process for the production of a supercondenser comprising: at least two electrodes separated by at least one separator comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and at least one electrolyte, the process including the following steps:

providing at least two electrodes,

providing at least one separator comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and an electrolyte, and

placing each electrode in contact with a corresponding surface of the separator;

wherein the step of providing at least one separator comprises combining the PHA with the electrolyte by solvent casting,

wherein the solvent casting comprises the steps of:

dissolving the PHA in a solvent, preferably selected from: HFIP, chloroform, N,N-dimethylformamide, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, aniline and acetic acid,

adding to the solution thus obtained an electrolyte, preferably an ionic liquid, and

pouring the solution added with electrolyte into a mould and allowing it to stand until the solvent evaporates.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one separator comprises from 10% to 90% by weight of PHA, and from 10% to 90% by weight of electrolyte, the percentages being expressed with respect to the weight of the separator.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrolyte is an ionic liquid, selected from: derivatives of natural amino acids, natural derivatives of lignin, ionic liquids of synthetic origin.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one electrolyte is selected from: tetrabutylammonium L-proline (TBA L-Pro), choline bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (choline(Tf2N)), tetraethylammonium L-proline (TEA L-Pro); phosphoric acid of N-ethyl-N-(furan-2-yl-methyl)ethanamine ([FurEt2NH][H 2 PO 4 ]), phosphoric acid of N-ethyl-N-(4-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine ([p-AnisEt2NH][H 2 PO 4 ]), phosphoric acid of N-4-((diethylamino)methyl)-2-methoxyphenol ([VanEt2NH] [H 2 PO 4 ]); 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM(BF4)), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMIM(Tf2N)), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM(Tf2N)).

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said solution added with electrolyte comprises PHA in a concentration comprised between 3% and 20% by weight, the electrolyte in a concentration comprised between 1% and 20% by weight, the percentages being expressed with respect to the weight of the solution.

6. A process for the production of a supercondenser comprising: at least two electrodes separated by at least one separator comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and at least one electrolyte, the process the following steps:

providing at least two electrodes,

providing at least one separator comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and an electrolyte, and

placing each electrode in contact with a corresponding surface of the separator;

wherein the step of providing at least one separator comprises combining the PHA with the electrolyte by electrospinning,

wherein the electrospinning comprises the following steps:

preparing a spinning solution by means of solubilizing the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), preferably PHB, and of the at least one electrolyte, preferably an ionic liquid, in a solvent, preferably selected from: HFIP, chloroform, N,N-dimethylformamide, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, aniline, acetic acid,

subjecting the spinning solution to an electrospinning process, thus obtaining PHA fibres, and

depositing the PHA fibres on a collector, so as to obtain a separator.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the spinning solution comprises PHA in a concentration comprised between 4% and 10% by weight, the electrolyte in a concentration comprised between 1% and 25% by weight, the percentages being expressed with respect to the weight of the solution.

8. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one separator comprises from 10% to 90% by weight of PHA, and from 10% to 90% by weight of electrolyte, the percentages being expressed with respect to the weight of the separator.

9. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one electrolyte is an ionic liquid, selected from: derivatives of natural amino acids, natural derivatives of lignin, ionic liquids of synthetic origin.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one electrolyte is selected from: tetrabutylammonium L-proline (TBA L-Pro), choline bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (choline(Tf2N)), tetraethylammonium L-proline (TEA L-Pro); phosphoric acid of N-ethyl-N-(furan-2-yl-methyl)ethanamine ([FurEt2NH][H 2 PO 4 ]), phosphoric acid of N-ethyl-N-(4-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine ([p-AnisEt2NH][H 2 PO 4 ]), phosphoric acid of N-4-((diethylamino)methyl)-2-methoxyphenol ([VanEt2NH] [H 2 PO 4 ]); 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM(BF4)), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMIM(Tf2N)), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM(Tf2N)).

11. A process for the production of a supercondenser comprising: at least two electrodes separated by at least one separator comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and at least one electrolyte, the process including the following steps:

providing at least two electrodes,

providing at least one separator comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and an electrolyte, and

placing each electrode in contact with a corresponding surface of the separator;

wherein the step of providing at least one separator comprises combining the PHA with the electrolyte by electrospraying

wherein the electrospraying comprises the following steps:

preparing a spraying solution by means of solubilizing the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), preferably PHB, and the at least one electrolyte, preferably an ionic liquid, in a solvent, preferably selected from: HFIP, chloroform, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, aniline, acetic acid,

subjecting the spraying solution to an electrospraying process, thus obtaining PHA particles, and

depositing the PHA particles on a collector, so as to obtain a separator.

12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein said spraying solution comprises PHA in a concentration comprised between 4% and 10% by weight, the electrolyte in a concentration comprised between 1% and 25% by weight, the percentages being expressed with respect to the weight of the solution.

13. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one separator comprises from 10% to 90% by weight of PHA, and from 10% to 90% by weight of electrolyte, the percentages being expressed with respect to the weight of the separator.

14. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one electrolyte is an ionic liquid, selected from: derivatives of natural amino acids, natural derivatives of lignin, ionic liquids of synthetic origin.

15. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one electrolyte is selected from: tetrabutylammonium L-proline (TBA L-Pro), choline bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (choline(Tf2N)), tetraethylammonium L-proline (TEA L-Pro); phosphoric acid of N-ethyl-N-(furan-2-yl-methyl)ethanamine ([FurEt2NH][H 2 PO 4 ]), phosphoric acid of N-ethyl-N-(4-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine ([p-AnisEt2NH][H 2 PO 4 ]), phosphoric acid of N-4-((diethylamino)methyl)-2-methoxyphenol ([VanEt2NH] [H 2 PO 4 ]); 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM(BF4)), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMIM(Tf2N)), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM(Tf2N)).

16. A process for the production of a supercondenser comprising: at least two electrodes separated by at least one separator comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and at least one electrolyte, the process including the following steps:

providing at least two electrodes,

providing at least one separator comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and an electrolyte, and

placing each electrode in contact with a corresponding surface of the separator;

wherein the step of providing at least one separator comprises the following steps:

preparing a spinning solution comprising PHA and a solvent selected from: HFIP, chloroform, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, aniline, acetic acid;

subjecting the spinning solution to an electrospinning process, thus obtaining PHA fibres;

depositing the PHA fibres on a collector, so as to obtain a separator; and

impregnating the separator with at least one electrolyte, preferably an ionic liquid.

17. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one separator comprises from 10% to 90% by weight of PHA, and from 10% to 90% by weight of electrolyte, the percentages being expressed with respect to the weight of the separator.

18. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one electrolyte is an ionic liquid, selected from: derivatives of natural amino acids, natural derivatives of lignin, ionic liquids of synthetic origin.

19. The process according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one electrolyte is selected from: tetrabutylammonium L-proline (TBA L-Pro), choline bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (choline(Tf2N)), tetraethylammonium L-proline (TEA L-Pro); phosphoric acid of N-ethyl-N-(furan-2-yl-methyl)ethanamine ([FurEt2NH][H 2 PO 4 ]), phosphoric acid of N-ethyl-N-(4-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine ([p-AnisEt2NH] [H 2 PO 4 ]), phosphoric acid of N-4-((diethylamino)methyl)-2-methoxyphenol ([VanEt2NH] [H 2 PO 4 ]); 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM(BF4)), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMIM(Tf2N)), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM(Tf2N)).