Design of non-faradaic EDLC from plasticized MC based polymer electrolyte with an energy density close to lead-acid batteries

Abstract The investigation of biodegradable polymer electrolyte for energy device applications is of great importance as a suitable alternative to the conventional electrolytes. This paper explores the employment of plasticized methylcellulose (MC)-based polymer electrolytes for energy storage EDLC device application with an energy density (46.29 Wh kg−1) close enough to lead-acid batteries. The results have shown that the inclusion of plasticizer can enhance the ionic conductivity to 1.17 × 10−3 S cm−1. It was found that the prepared polymer electrolyte was stable up to 2.1 V, which is sufficient to be employed as electrolyte and separator in fabrication of electrical double layer capacitor (EDLC). Both te and ti values have been quantified from the TNM measurements, where the ti values for the electrolytes containing 32 wt.% and 40 wt.% of glycerol plasticizer have been found as 0.963 and 0.802, respectively. The performance of the assembled EDLC was assessed using both cyclic voltammetry (CV) and charge-discharging responses. The absence of redox peaks is evidenced from the CV. The value of initial specific capacitance (Cspe) of the fabricated EDLC is 411.52 F g−1. The results achieved in this study can be considered as a breakthrough in EDLC devices.