Discovering Cathodic Biocompatibility for Aqueous Zn-MnO₂ Battery: An Integrating Biomass Carbon Strategy

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Biomass Valorization

Background:

• The demand for sustainable and high-performance energy storage solutions is growing.
• Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) offer a promising alternative due to their safety and cost-effectiveness.
• Utilizing biomass waste for battery materials presents an eco-friendly approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-performance cathode material for AZIBs from sustainable grapefruit peel biomass.
• To investigate the electrochemical properties and zinc-ion storage mechanism of the fabricated cathode.
• To assess the biosafety of the cathode material for potential biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of gamma-manganese dioxide (γ-MnO2) uniformly loaded on nitrogen-doped carbon derived from grapefruit peel.
• Electrochemical characterization including specific capacity, cyclic stability, and energy density measurements.
• In vitro cell toxicity experiments to evaluate biosafety.
• Theoretical analysis and experimental data to elucidate the zinc-ion storage mechanism.

Main Results:

• The composite cathode (20 wt% carbon carrier) achieved a specific capacity of 391.2 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1.
• Exceptional cyclic stability with 92.17% capacity retention after 3000 cycles at 5 A g-1.
• Remarkable energy density of 553.12 Wh kg-1 and near 100% coulombic efficiency.
• Demonstrated cathodic biosafety, indicating potential for clinical medicine applications.

Conclusions:

• A novel, biocompatible, and high-performance manganese-based cathode derived from grapefruit peel waste was successfully developed.
• The material exhibits excellent electrochemical performance and stability for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.
• This work offers a sustainable pathway for converting biomass waste into advanced energy storage materials with potential biomedical applications.