Scientists fae Scotland, Sooth Korea, an India hiv eesed waste gum fae Indian trees tae forge a greener peth for supercapacitors. They’v combined gum kondagogu—a polysaccharide fae the bark o the Cochlospermum Gossypium tree—with sodium alginate tae form a spoonge-like substance kent as “KS.” Iss new biopolymer is added tae the acidic electrolyte fund in standart supercapacitors, giein e electrodes a protective layer aat slaas their decay.

Supercapacitors are prized for their fast chairge an dischairge rates in ilka day gadgets, pouer grids, an electric cars. Yet, they aften tyne their fu chairge-haudin ability acause the acidic electrolytes stir unwantit reactions wi the metal electrodes. In lab tests, e added KS layer helped a supercapacitor haud on til 93% o its original energy ower 30,000 cycles. In contrast, a similar unit ithoot e KS drapped tae 58% ower e same period.

E research micht widen e life span o supercapacitors an trim e growin burden o electronic waste. At e eyn o their rinnin life, worn-oot supercapacitors add tae a lang list o hairmfu waste aat affects e land an watter. Iss new method maks it possible tae re-eese a byproduct eence deemed a nuisance.

Dr Jun Young Cheong o the University o Glesga’s James Watt School o Engineerin said, “Tree gums hae a wide range o eeses in industry, in applications like pharmaceuticals, fuid, or cosmetics. Fooivver, e gums we’v eesed in iss study dinna hae mony practical eeses, an are actually a bit o a sair heid for e Indian government tae dispose o. Wi iss research, we’v fun a wey o makin somethin genuinely impactfu fae iss gum, creatin a biodegradable, recyclable biopolymer aat enables remairkable performance an cuid extend e eesefu life o supercapacitors dramatically. In e lab, we’v shawn excellent performance ower 30,000 cycles. If we were tae rin ae cycle per day, e supercapacitor cuid theoretically last mair than 80 year ithoot tynin significant performance, fit cuid mean aat supercapacitors cuid be eesed in devices for muckle langer ithoot bein chynged.”