Deep eutectic solvent-infused two-dimensional metal-organic framework membranes as quasi-solid-state electrolytes for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Miniaturized and portable electronics require advanced micro-energy storage solutions.
• Micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) are key, but their performance is limited by electrolyte development.
• High-performance electrolytes are crucial for unlocking the full potential of MSCs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs) for enhanced MSC performance.
• To investigate the use of flexible metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets in QSSEs.
• To improve ionic conductivity and electrochemical characteristics of deep eutectic solvent (DES)-based MSCs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of QSSEs using flexible MOF (CuTCPP) nanosheet membranes.
• Incorporation of DES within the nanochannels of MOF nanosheets.
• Engineering and testing of MSCs utilizing the CuTCPP-DES system.

Main Results:

• A 13-fold increase in DES ionic conductivity within MOF nanochannels compared to bulk.
• Superior electrochemical performance of CuTCPP-DES based MSCs compared to existing technologies.
• Achieved areal-specific capacitance of 81.3 mF cm⁻² and energy density of 45.17 μW h cm⁻².
• Demonstrated stable MSC performance under bending conditions.

Conclusions:

• MOF nanosheets effectively enhance DES-based QSSEs for micro-energy storage.
• The CuTCPP-DES system offers a promising pathway for high-performance, flexible MSCs.
• This work presents a paradigm shift in nanoconfined systems for microscale energy storage applications.