Cellulose-Based Ionic Conductor: An Emerging Material toward Sustainable Devices

Abstract

Ionic conductors (ICs) find widespread applications across different fields, such as smart electronic, ionotronic, sensor, biomedical, and energy harvesting/storage devices, and largely determine the function and performance of these devices. In the pursuit of developing ICs required for better performing and sustainable devices, cellulose appears as an attractive and promising building block due to its high abundance, renewability, striking mechanical strength, and other functional features. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary regarding ICs fabricated from cellulose and cellulose-derived materials in terms of fundamental structural features of cellulose, the materials design and fabrication techniques for engineering, main properties and characterization, and diverse applications. Next, the potential of cellulose-based ICs to relieve the increasing concern about electronic waste within the frame of circularity and environmental sustainability and the future directions to be explored for advancing this field are discussed. Overall, we hope this review can provide a comprehensive summary and unique perspectives on the design and application of advanced cellulose-based ICs and thereby encourage the utilization of cellulosic materials toward sustainable devices.

The Critical Roles of Water in the Processing, Structure, and Properties of Nanocellulose

“…The printed aligned BN-CNF ionic cable exhibits a good ionic conductivity of 1.8 × 10 –4 S/cm at low salt concentrations (<10 –3 M). These ionic conductors using cellulosic materials as templates followed by the absorption of an electrolyte solution are also classified as ion reservoirs . Water, a commonly used electrolyte solvent, is also used to construct solvent-containing nanocellulose-based gel ionic conductors.…”

“…Water, a commonly used electrolyte solvent, is also used to construct solvent-containing nanocellulose-based gel ionic conductors. The nanocellulose used to build gel ionic conductors usually needs to be compounded with a polymeric matrix or surface-functionalized to obtain a more stable structure . The selective and rapid transportation on the surface of the cellulose-water interface endows it with extraordinary potential in applications such as batteries and fuel cells.…”

Mechanically Robust and Multifunctional Ionogels Based on Cellulose and Polymerizable 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Chloride/Acrylamide Deep Eutectic Solvent

“…At present, with the pollution of petroleum-based materials and the depletion of petroleum resources, biosourced polymers such as polysaccharides have been used to develop ionogels with reduced environmental impact. 20,21 As one of the most abundant natural resources in nature, cellulose has a wide range of sources, good biocompatibility, renewable and degradable characteristics, and broad application prospects in many fields. 22−24 linked poly(acrylic acid) (PAA).…”

“…At present, with the pollution of petroleum-based materials and the depletion of petroleum resources, biosourced polymers such as polysaccharides have been used to develop ionogels with reduced environmental impact. , As one of the most abundant natural resources in nature, cellulose has a wide range of sources, good biocompatibility, renewable and degradable characteristics, and broad application prospects in many fields. − For example, Yu et al designed a three-dimensional (3D) printable ink from cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), deep eutectic solvent (DES), and ionically cross-linked poly­(acrylic acid) (PAA) . Picchio et al synthesized a nanocomposite biogel using tannic acid-decorated cellulose nanocrystals (TA@CNCs) as dynamic nanofillers .…”

Eco-efficient pickering foams: leveraging sugarcane waste-derived cellulose nanofibres

“…The unique properties of nanocellulose make it highly versatile and suitable for numerous applications. 16,17 One notable application of nanocellulose is its use as a stabilising agent or Pickering agent, particularly within the pulp and paper industry, replacing petrochemical-derived foaming agents that have been employed to generate and stabilise foams. 18–20 Using NC as a stabilising agent in a technique similar to Pickering emulsions, where the nonpolar phase is air instead of oil, results in the formation of low-density cellulose foams or aerogels with good mechanical properties.…”