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Lignin-Based Electrode Materials with a "Spiderweb-Mucilage" Structure for Dual-Energy Storage
Mengjie Yan1,2,3, Hong Wu1,2,3, Xiaoxuan Weng1,2,3
1School of Textile Science and Engineering, Xi'an Polytechnic University, Xi'an 710048, China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|April 20, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a flexible lignin-based electrode inspired by spiderwebs for energy storage. This novel material offers high performance for wearable electronics, combining conductivity and energy density.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Growing demand for flexible energy storage in wearable electronics necessitates advanced electrode materials.
- Existing materials often struggle to balance high energy/power density with flexibility.
- Need for robust, high-performance electrode materials for next-generation devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a flexible, high-performance electrode material for energy storage devices.
- To mimic the natural spiderweb-mucilage structure for synergistic energy storage.
- To investigate the electrochemical properties and stability of the novel composite material.
Main Methods:
- Electrospinning, carbonization, and hydrothermal processes were used to synthesize the lignin-based electrode.
- A composite structure of reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanofibers (rGO-CNFs) as a conductive skeleton and Nickel Cobalt Layered Double Hydroxides (NiCo-LDHs) nanosheets as active material was created.
- Characterization included conductivity measurements, contact angle analysis, and electrochemical testing (capacitance, energy density, cycling stability).
Main Results:
- The rGO-CNFs skeleton provided high conductivity (4.02 S·cm⁻¹) and flexibility, while NiCo-LDHs nanosheets facilitated rapid Faradaic reactions.
- The composite electrode exhibited a high specific capacitance of 1492.6 F·g⁻¹ at 1 A·g⁻¹, significantly outperforming pure CNFs and rGO-CNFs.
- Electrolyte wettability was greatly improved (contact angle reduced from 133.3° to 34.4°), enhancing electrochemical performance.
- The assembled flexible symmetric supercapacitor achieved an energy density of 82.67 Wh·kg⁻¹ and retained 94.5% capacitance after 2000 cycles.
Conclusions:
- The spiderweb-mucilage-inspired lignin-based electrode material demonstrates excellent performance for flexible energy storage.
- The synergistic effect between the conductive rGO-CNFs skeleton and NiCo-LDHs nanosheets, coupled with enhanced wettability, drives the superior electrochemical properties.
- This material holds significant promise for advanced wearable electronics and other flexible energy storage applications.
