Biomimetic biomass-based composite carbon aerogels with excellent mechanical performance for energy storage and pressure sensing in extreme environments.

Abstract

The poor mechanical properties of biomass-based carbon aerogels after carbonization severely limit their application in pressure sensing and energy storage for wearable devices and electronic skin. In this work, a supramolecular assembly structure was designed inspired by the unique microstructure of natural wood for the preparation of biomass-based carbon aerogels with supercompressibility, elasticity, stable strain electrical signal response, and wide sensitive detection. Bacterial cellulose and lignin were selected as the main components of the biomass-based composite aerogel 'cell wall'. The graphene oxide with an aromatic structure was introduced to induce the assembly of firmly attached lignin and bacterial cellulose. The prepared biomass-based carbon aerogels exhibit supercompressibility (at least 100 cycles at 90 % strain), high elasticity (88.88 % height retention after 1000 cycles at a strain of 50 %), surprising temperature-constant superelasticity and fatigue resistance (shape retention rate greater than 85 %) at -196 ℃. In particular, it exhibits temperature-invariant high linear sensitivity over an extremely wide operating pressure range (0-43 kPa), allowing accurate detection of human signals. In addition, the prepared carbon aerogels exhibit excellent performance in supercapacitors. It has a specific capacitance of 158F/g at a current density of 1 A/g and an energy density of 18.75 Wh/kg at a high power density of 2500 W/g. This strategy also demonstrates its promise as a wearable device in hostile environments.