Converting eggs to flexible, all-solid supercapacitors. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yunya; He, Jiajun; Gao, Zan; Li, Xiaodong
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 65(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: Egg -- Biomass -- Graphene -- Supercapacitor -- All-solid -- Flexible; Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructured materials -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Nanoscience; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Power resources -- Technological innovations; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.104045
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: The rapid expansion of electrochemical energy storage market has imposed an impending need for low-cost, sustainable materials for high-performance electrodes, separators, and electrolytes. A rational strategy is to derive the electrochemical materials from renewable biomass. However, how to comprehensively and effectively utilize biomass remains challenging. Here, we report flexible, all-solid supercapacitors constructed with the materials entirely from eggs. Eggshells and white/yolk were used to produce 2D graphene-like carbon for constructing electrodes while egg white/yolk, on the other hand, was found to be a gel-like solid-state electrolyte with competitive ionic conductivity. With eggshell membrane as a superb separator, flexible, all-solid supercapacitors were assembled which exhibited superlative electrochemical performance and mechanical flexibility. The prototypical study inspires a smart approach to comprehensively and effectively use biomass materials for constructing energy storage devices. The eggshell-enabled graphene-like carbon and protein-derived solid-state electrolyte should find extensive applications in various fields. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: 2D graphene-like carbon was fabricated from eggshell and egg white/yolk. The graphene-like carbon had a thickness of 1.25 nm and high specific surface area. The egg-derived 2D carbon exhibited superior energy density in supercapacitors. Gel electrolyte with high ionic conductivity was synthesized from egg white/yolk. The all-solid supercapacitors exhibited superior performance and flexibility.