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Eco‐Friendly Red Seaweed‐Derived Electrolytes for Electrochemical Devices
Author(s) -
Nunes Sílvia C.,
Pereira Rui F. P.,
Sousa Nuno,
Silva Maria M.,
Almeida Paulo,
Figueiredo Filipe M. L.,
de Zea Bermudez Verónica
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced sustainable systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.499
H-Index - 24
ISSN - 2366-7486
DOI - 10.1002/adsu.201700070
Subject(s) - electrolyte , ionic liquid , anhydrous , electrochemistry , ionic conductivity , materials science , aqueous solution , supercapacitor , relative humidity , chemical engineering , chloride , electrodialysis , membrane , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , electrode , catalysis , biochemistry , physics , metallurgy , engineering , thermodynamics
Green electrolytes composed of kappa ‐carrageenan (κ‐Cg), 1‐butyl‐3‐methyl‐1H‐imidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) ionic liquid, and glycerol (Gly) are prepared in aqueous solution using a simple, clean, fast and low‐cost procedure. A flexible membrane incorporating 50% wt [Bmim]Cl and 50% wt Gly with respect to κ‐Cg exhibits the highest ionic conductivity values (8.47 × 10 −4 /2.45 × 10 −3 S cm −1 at 20/66 °C, under anhydrous conditions, and 5.49 × 10 −2 /0.186 S cm −1 at 30/60 °C, at a relative humidity of 98%). Tests of room temperature air/hydrogen fuel cells incorporating κ‐Cg, κ‐Cg/Gly, and κ‐Cg/Gly/[Bmim]Cl membranes demonstrate that these predominantly protonic conductors electrolytes are particularly well suited for the design and fabrication of eco‐friendly electrochemical devices whose operation does not require the flow of gases and does not lead to water formation. These new materials have excellent application prospects in high performance (flexible) energy storage devices (supercapacitors and batteries) and electrochromic devices.