Energy storage device and a method of preparing the device

1. An energy storage device, comprising:

a cathode comprising a carbon cloth, the carbon cloth comprising an active material deposited thereupon, the active material comprising a material structure of vanadium carbide MXenes;

an anode comprising a carbon cloth, the carbon cloth comprising zinc being deposited thereupon; and

a gelatin-based electrolyte comprising an aqueous electrolytic solution that is in electrical communication with the cathode and the anode;

wherein the gelatin-based electrolyte comprises a polyacrylamide hydrogel, and wherein the aqueous electrolytic solution comprises a high concentration salt solution containing a total concentration from about 5 M to about 21 M of metal ions; and

wherein the energy storage device increases capacity upon the operation cycle of charging and discharging.

2. The energy storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the vanadium carbide MXenes material structure comprises a plurality of active sites during the operation cycle of charging and discharging of the energy storage device.

3. The energy storage device according to claim 2 , wherein the vanadium carbide MXenes material structure comprises interlayer spacings, and wherein the vanadium carbide MXenes material undergoes a structural change upon an ion insertion into the interlayer spacings.

4. The energy storage device according to claim 3 , wherein the vanadium carbide MXenes structure undergoes delamination, forms a plurality of layers of the active material, and provides an increased number of active sites, thereby facilitating further ion insertion.

5. The energy storage device according to claim 3 , wherein the ions inserted into the interlayer spacings of the vanadium carbide MXenes material structure comprises the metal ions.

6. The energy storage device according to claim 5 , wherein the metal ions are selected from the group consisting of Li + , Na + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Zn 2+ , Al 3+ , Fe 2+ , and the combination thereof.

7. The energy storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the vanadium carbide MXenes material structure undergoes a phase transition to form at least a partial oxide of the active material.

8. The energy storage device according to claim 7 , wherein the oxide of the active material comprises V 2 O 5 .

9. The energy storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the vanadium carbide MXenes material structure undergoes a phase transition thereby forming at least a partial carbon phase of the active material.

10. The energy storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the material structure of the vanadium carbide MXenes comprises a plurality of layers of V 2 CT x comprising vanadium carbide and a plurality of surface terminal functional groups, wherein x is any number.

11. The energy storage device according to claim 6 , wherein the high concentration salt solution prevents dissolution of the active material, thereby maintaining the structure of the active material for the physical and/or a chemical transformation.

12. The energy storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the gelatin-based electrolyte physically deforms upon application of an external mechanical force to the electrolyte.

13. The energy storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the gelatin-based electrolyte is operable under water and/or at about −20° C.

14. The energy storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the gelatin-based electrolyte maintains its mechanical properties after subjection to an open-air environment for at least about 60 days.

15. The energy storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous electrolytic solution comprises from about 5 M to about 21 M of LiTFSI and from about 0.1 M to about 3 M of Zn(CF 3 SO 3 ) 2 .

16. A method of preparing an energy storage device, comprising the steps of:

providing an anode comprising a carbon cloth, the carbon cloth comprising zinc being deposited thereupon;

providing a cathode comprising a carbon cloth, the carbon cloth comprising an active material deposited thereupon, the active material comprising a material structure of vanadium carbide MXenes;

providing a gelatin-based electrolyte comprising an aqueous electrolytic solution that is in electrical communication with the cathode and the anode, wherein the gelatin-based electrolyte comprises a hydrogel of polyacrylamide, and wherein the aqueous electrolytic solution comprises a high concentration salt solution containing a total concentration from about 5 M to about 21 M of metal ions; and

sandwiching the gelatin-based electrolyte between the anode and the cathode;

wherein the energy storage device increases capacity upon the operation cycle of charging and discharging.

17. The method of preparing an energy storage device according to claim 16 , wherein providing a zinc anode includes the step of electrodepositing a zinc metal onto a substrate.

18. The method of preparing an energy storage device according to claim 16 , wherein providing a cathode including the steps of:

chemically etching a precursor of the active material at room temperature or an elevated temperature for a predetermined time period to obtain the active material;

forming a slurry of the active material; and

depositing a layer of the slurry on the carbon cloth.

19. The method of preparing an energy storage device according to claim 18 , wherein the precursor material of the active material includes a precursor of V 2 CT x , comprising vanadium carbide and a plurality of surface terminal functional groups, wherein x is any number or value.

20. The method of preparing an energy storage device according to claim 16 , wherein providing a gelatin-based electrolyte includes the steps of:

forming a mixture of a gel monomer, an initiator and a crosslinking agent in an aqueous electrolytic solution; and

curing the mixture at room temperature or a higher temperature.

21. The method of preparing an energy storage device according to claim 20 , wherein the gel monomer is provided with an amount of 2 wt % to 50 wt % based on a total amount of the gelatin-based electrolyte.

22. The method of preparing an energy storage device according to claim 21 , wherein the initiator is provided with an amount of 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % based on a total amount of the gelatin-based electrolyte.

23. The method of preparing an energy storage device according to claim 21 , wherein the crosslinking agent is provided with an amount of 0.002 wt % to 0.2 wt % based on a total amount of the gelatin-based electrolyte.