Biodegradable Bacterial Cellulose-Supported Quasi-Solid Electrolyte for Lithium Batteries

The stringent safety and sustainability requirements for electrolytes used in lithium batteries have led to significant research efforts into alternative materials. Here, a quasi-solid electrolyte based on biodegradable bacterial cellulose (BC) was successfully synthesized via a simple ball milling method. The BC provides plenty of sites for the attachment of ionic liquid electrolytes (ILEs) as well as ion transport channels. Moreover, the O-H groups contained in the BC molecular chains interact with anions in ILEs to form hydrogen bonds, which promotes the dissociation of the lithium salts. The prepared electrolytes (BC-ILEs) have good thermal stability with a decomposition temperature > 300 °C and high ionic conductivities. The Li/BC-ILE/LiFePO4 battery exhibited remarkable electrochemical performance. More importantly, the results of the Fehling test verified that the electrolyte could be degraded by cellulase. The quasi-solid electrolyte broadens the range of electrolytes for lithium batteries and provides new avenues to explore safe and eco-friendly materials.