Researchers from Uppsala University (Sweden) prepared a novel nanostructured high-surface-area electrode material that could be used for energy-storage applications. This material is made of cellulose fibres extracted from Cladophora algae(collected at sea) coated with a 50 nm layer of polypyrrole. Conductive polymers can be used in many applications such as electrochemically controlled ion-exchange membranes, energy storage devices, etc. Current drawbacks however, are insufficient functional charging rates and the cycling stabilities for any practical applications.
This study reported that the composite conductive paper material have a specific surface area of 80 m2 g?1 and batteries based on this composite material can be charged with currents as high as 600 mA cm?2 with only 6% loss in capacity over 100 subsequent charge and discharge cycles. Seemingly, this material could as well be used in smart packaging and other paper-based products and textiles. Indeed, quite a feat in the field polymer paper battery.
(Ref: G. Nyström, A. Razaq, M. Strømme, L. Nyholm, A. Mihranyan Nano Letters, published in the web Sept. 09, 2009 DOI: 10.1021/nl901852h)
