Green Energy Storage: Chitosan-Avocado Starch Hydrogels for a Novel Generation of Zinc Battery Electrolytes

Abstract

Meeting the ever-increasing global energy demands through sustainable and environmentally friendly means is a paramount challenge. In response to this imperative, this study is dedicated to the development of biopolymer electrolytes, which hold promise for improving the efficiency, safety, and biodegradability of energy systems. The present study aims to evaluate hydrogels synthesized from chitosan biopolymer and starch from avocado seed residues in different ratios, and dried using freeze-thawing and freeze-drying techniques. Epichlorohydrin was used as a chemical crosslinker to create a suitable degree of swelling using an ionic solution. Physical freezing crosslinking strategies such as freezing–thawing and freezing–drying were performed to generate a denser porous structure in the polymer matrix. Subsequently, synthesized electrolytes were immersed in 12 M KOH solution to improve their electrochemical properties. The effect of the different ratios of starch in the hydrogels on the structural properties of the materials was evaluated using characterization techniques such as FTIR and XRD, which allowed to confirm the crosslinking between chitosan and starch. The electrochemical performance of the hydrogels is assessed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A maximum conductivity value of 0.61 S·cm−1 was achieved at room temperature. The designed materials were tested in prototype zinc–air batteries; their specific capacity value was 1618 mA h·g−1, and their obtained power density was 90 mW·cm−2. These substantial findings unequivocally underscore the potential of the synthesized hydrogels as highly promising electrolytes for the application in zinc–air battery systems.