Vanillin decorated chitosan as electrode material for sustainable energy storageElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis procedures, 1H NMR raw data, image of electrochemical cell, CV curves, elemental analysis, TGA, SEM (EDX). See DOI: 10.1039/c9ra00140a

• Main Authors: Ilic, Ivan K, Meurer, Maren, Chaleawlert-umpon, Saowaluk, Antonietti, Markus, Liedel, Clemens
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ra00140a

Energy storage materials made from bioresources are crucial to fulfil the need for truly sustainable energy storage. In this work, vanillin, being a lignin-derived molecule, is coupled to chitosan, a biobased polymer backbone, and used as a redox active electrode material. The structure of those electrodes is highly defined, leading to better product security than in lignin based electrodes, which have been presented as sustainable electrodes in the past. With over 60% of saccharide units in chitosan functionalised by vanillin, the concentration of redox functionalities in the copolymer is significantly higher than in lignin materials. Composites with carbon black require no further binders or additives to be used as electrode material and show reversible charge storage up to 80 mA h g −1 (respective to the total electrode material) and good stability. Consequently, these electrodes are amongst the best performing electrodes made from regrown organic matter. To replace dangerous and rare components in battery electrodes, more sustainable energy storage materials made from biowaste and wood-based vanillin are presented.