Multifunction Web-like Polymeric Network Bacterial Cellulose Derived from SCOBY as Both Electrodes and Electrolytes for Pliable and Low-Cost Supercapacitor

Muhamad Hafiz Hamsan; Norhana Abdul Halim; Siti Zulaikha Ngah Demon; Nurul Syahirah Nasuha Sa'aya; Mohd Fakhrul Zamani Kadir; Zul Hazrin Zainal Abidin; Nursaadah Ahmad Poad; Nurul Farhana Abu Kasim; Nur Amira Mamat Razali; Shujahadeen B Aziz; Khairol Amali Ahmad; Azizi Miskon; Norazman Mohamad Nor

doi:10.3390/polym14153196

Multifunction Web-like Polymeric Network Bacterial Cellulose Derived from SCOBY as Both Electrodes and Electrolytes for Pliable and Low-Cost Supercapacitor

Polymers (Basel). 2022 Aug 5;14(15):3196. doi: 10.3390/polym14153196.

Authors

Muhamad Hafiz Hamsan¹, Norhana Abdul Halim¹, Siti Zulaikha Ngah Demon^{1

2}, Nurul Syahirah Nasuha Sa'aya³, Mohd Fakhrul Zamani Kadir⁴, Zul Hazrin Zainal Abidin⁵, Nursaadah Ahmad Poad³, Nurul Farhana Abu Kasim³, Nur Amira Mamat Razali³, Shujahadeen B Aziz^{6

7}, Khairol Amali Ahmad⁸, Azizi Miskon⁸, Norazman Mohamad Nor⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physics, Centre for Defence Foundation Studies, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi Camp, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia.
² Centre for Tropicalization, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi Camp, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia.
³ Faculty of Defence Science & Technology, National Defence University Of Malaysia, Sg Besi Camp, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia.
⁴ Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
⁵ Centre for Ionics University of Malaya (C.I.U.M.), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
⁶ Hameed Majid Advanced Polymeric Materials Research Lab., Physics Department, College of Science, University of Sulaimani, Qlyasan Street, Kurdistan Regional Government, Sulaimani 46001, Iraq.
⁷ The Development Center for Research and Training (DCRT), University of Human Development, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Sulaymaniyah 46001, Iraq.
⁸ Faculty of Engineering, National Defence University of Malaysia, Kem Sg Besi, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia.

Abstract

In this work, bacterial cellulose (BC)-based polymer derived from a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) are optimized as both electrodes and electrolytes to fabricate a flexible and free-standing supercapacitor. BC is a multifunction and versatile polymer. Montmorillonite (MMT) and sodium bromide (NaBr) are used to improve mechanical strength and as the ionic source, respectively. From XRD analysis, it is found that the addition of MMT and NaBr has reduced the crystallinity of the electrolyte. Most interaction within the electrolyte happens in the region of the OH band, as verified using FTIR analysis. A maximum room temperature conductivity of (1.09 ± 0.02) × 10^-3 S/cm is achieved with 30 wt.% NaBr. The highest conducting SCOBY-based electrolytes have a decompose voltage and ionic transference number of 1.48 V and 0.97, respectively. The multiwalled carbon nanotube is employed as the active material held by the fibrous network of BC. Cyclic voltammetry shows a rectangular shape CV plot with the absence of a redox peak. The supercapacitor is charged and discharged in a zig-zag-shaped Perspex plate for 1000 cycles with a decent performance.

Keywords: EDLC; bacterial cellulose; biopolymer; electrolyte; green energy; supercapacitor.

Grants and funding

National Defence University of Malaysia