At Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI), a group of researchers created the thinnest and fastest biodegradable supercapacitor made from seaweed. The lightweight paper-based supercapacitor charges as fast as 10 seconds and exhibits high tensile strength.
The research was led by marine biopolymer scientist Dr. Syed Zaheer Hassan and Dr. Priyank Bhutiya. The cellulose nanofibers were extracted from green seaweed Cheatomorpha antennia which was collected from Porbandar, Gujarat in India. The fibers underwent bleaching treatment and were shaped into architectural structure like that of a spider web.
A very simple and handmade process was used by the researchers in making paper anode. They only have to make sure that the supercapacitor can be used as anode material in devices. To make this possible, the researchers grew the nanowires made from reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) over the cellulose nanofibers using a simple hydrothermal process. Then, it underwent a simple press method to turn the cellulose nanocomposite into a form of paper supercapacitor.
After the biodegradable electrode material is created, its effectiveness is tested in terms of different operational parameters. These include chemical stability, energy storage ability, and durability.
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