Bioelectrolyte supercapacitor
A flexible energy storage device with a glycerol-based gel electrolyte is provided. The flexible energy storage device can include a pair of electrodes separated by the gel electrolyte. The electrolytes can be in gel form, bendable and stretchable in a device. The gel electrolyte can include glycerol, redox-active molybdenum-containing ions, and a secondary ionic substance. The secondary ionic substance can include a salt. The gel electrolyte can have a density of 1.4 to 1.9 g/cm 3 and an ionic conductivity of 2.3×10 −4 to 3.2×10 −4 Scm −1 . The flexible energy storage device may retain greater than 95% of an unbent energy storage capacity when bent at an angle of 10 to 170°.
1 . A bio-electrolyte supercapacitor, comprising:
from 2 to 10 flexible energy storage devices, each device comprising:
a pair of electrodes separated by a gel electrolyte, the gel electrolyte comprising glycerol, redox-active molybdenum-containing ions, and a secondary ionic substance,
wherein the glycerol is present in an amount of 40 to 98 wt %, based on a total weight of the gel electrolyte, and the redox-active molybdenum-containing ions are molybdate anions present in an amount of 1 to 25 wt %, based on a total weight of the gel electrolyte, and
a gel electrolyte support disposed between the electrodes, wherein the gel electrolyte is embedded in and penetrates the gel electrolyte support and the gel electrolyte support is in the form of a film,
wherein each flexible energy storage device retains greater than 75% of an unbent energy storage capacity when bent at an angle of 10 to 170°.
2 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the secondary ionic substance of each flexible energy storage device is present in an amount of 1 to 35 wt %, based on a total weight of gel electrolyte.
3 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the secondary ionic substance of each flexible energy storage device is at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydroxide salt, a halide salt, a sulfate salt, a nitrate salt, a perchlorate salt, a tetrafluoroborate salt, a difluoro (oxalato) borate salt, a hexafluorophosphate salt, and a bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide salt.
4 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the secondary ionic substance of each flexible energy storage device is an alkali metal hydroxide.
5 . The supercapacitor of claim 4 , wherein the alkali metal hydroxide of each flexible energy storage device is potassium hydroxide.
6 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the gel electrolyte of each flexible energy storage device is substantially free of water.
7 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the gel electrolyte of each flexible energy storage device is substantially free of polymer additives.
8 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the gel electrolyte of each flexible energy storage device has a density of 1.4 to 1.9 g/cm 3 .
9 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the gel electrolyte of each flexible energy storage device has an ionic conductivity of 2.3×10 −4 to 3.2×10 −4 Scm −1 .
10 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the electrodes of each flexible energy storage device are carbon electrodes.
11 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , having a specific capacitance of 275 to 350 F/g.
12 . The supercapacitor of claim 1 , having an energy density of 40 to 50 Wh/kg.