Advances in Cellulose-Based Composites for Energy Applications

Abstract

The various forms of cellulose-based materials possess high mechanical and thermal stabilities, as well as three-dimensional open network structures with high aspect ratios capable of incorporating other materials to produce composites for a wide range of applications. Being the most prevalent natural biopolymer on the Earth, cellulose has been used as a renewable replacement for many plastic and metal substrates, in order to diminish pollutant residues in the environment. As a result, the design and development of green technological applications of cellulose and its derivatives has become a key principle of ecological sustainability. Recently, cellulose-based mesoporous structures, flexible thin films, fibers, and three-dimensional networks have been developed for use as substrates in which conductive materials can be loaded for a wide range of energy conversion and energy conservation applications. The present article provides an overview of the recent advancements in the preparation of cellulose-based composites synthesized by combining metal/semiconductor nanoparticles, organic polymers, and metal-organic frameworks with cellulose. To begin, a brief review of cellulosic materials is given, with emphasis on their properties and processing methods. Further sections focus on the integration of cellulose-based flexible substrates or three-dimensional structures into energy conversion devices, such as photovoltaic solar cells, triboelectric generators, piezoelectric generators, thermoelectric generators, as well as sensors. The review also highlights the uses of cellulose-based composites in the separators, electrolytes, binders, and electrodes of energy conservation devices such as lithium-ion batteries. Moreover, the use of cellulose-based electrodes in water splitting for hydrogen generation is discussed. In the final section, we propose the underlying challenges and outlook for the field of cellulose-based composite materials.

Fe2O3/Ni Nanocomposite Electrocatalyst on Cellulose for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction and Oxygen Evolution Reaction

“…Cellulose materials are considered efficient candidates (multi-component materials) for various energy systems owing to their favorable functional properties, such as the presence of many hydroxyl functional groups, abundance, wettability, low production cost, and ease of structural modification [25,26,[38][39][40]. The effects of MCC as a binding agent on the efficacy of WS electrodes were investigated.…”

Investigation of Cellulose-Based Materials Applied in Life Sciences Using Laser Light Scattering Methods

“…Polymers 2024, 16, 1170 3 of 39 and P(θ) = 1 − (16π 2 R g 2 sin 2 (θ/2)/3λ 0 2 ) (3) where K is the optical constant for vertically polarized incident light, c is the concentration of scattering species (in g/mL), R θ is the Rayleigh ratio between intensities of incident and scattered light at θ angle, also named the excess Rayleigh ratio (in cm −1 ), M w is the weight-average molecular mass of particles in solution, n is the refractive index of the solution, N A is the Avogadro number, λ 0 is the wavelength of light incident on the sample, and A 2 and A 3 are the virial coefficients [24]. The incident light for scattering measurements may come from a GaAs laser, HeNe laser, or Ar 3+ laser which operates at λ 0 = 658 nm, 632.8 nm, or 514.5 nm, respectively.…”

“…The production of pharmaceutical textiles based on cellulose is supposed to functionalize the polysaccharides with plant-derived materials, drugs, and metal nanoparticles [ 12 ]. Additionally, cellulose-based materials as superabsorbent hydrogels contribute to pollution control and water treatment [ 13 , 14 , 15 ], or are used as supercapacitors, batteries, and chemical/biological/physical sensors in the energy and sensing industries [ 16 , 17 ].…”

“…Also, these polysaccharides are integrated into many industries and fulfill the role of suspending agents, antimicrobial agents, thickeners, emulsion stabilizers, defoaming surfactants, additives, binders in coatings, or absorbents of pollutants. The Polymers 2024, 16, 1170 2 of 39 broadening of the biomedical applications allowed the design of antimicrobial hydrogels, hydrogels for tissue engineering, and hydrogels for food additives or food packaging based on cellulose [8][9][10][11]. The production of pharmaceutical textiles based on cellulose is supposed to functionalize the polysaccharides with plant-derived materials, drugs, and metal nanoparticles [12].…”

Microwaved-Assisted Synthesis of Starch-Based Biopolymer Membranes for Novel Green Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices

“…There is prevalent global pollution with plastics at the macro-and microscales; therefore, it is necessary to limit this kind of pollution in the environment. This is why, in recent years, so many studies have proposed that the use of biopolymers can compete with traditional plastic polymers in many crucial fields such as medicine [1][2][3], the food industry [4,5], safety [6], and energy storage [7][8][9].…”