Foldable transparent film made of carbon polyhedra with lush green forest background, symbolizing sustainable energy.

Foldable Tech: Chitin Fiber Film Revolutionizes Supercapacitors

Rhea Morgan in Tech & Innovation December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Scientists develop a groundbreaking, super flexible electrode material from chitin, promising high performance and sustainable energy storage solutions."

Electrochemical energy storage is vital for sustainable energy solutions, and supercapacitors are a key component because of their high power density and long life cycles. Carbon materials are essential for electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) due to their unique architectures and stability.

Recently, there's been significant interest in carbon materials derived from biomass because they are abundant, renewable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly. Various biomasses, including cotton, rice straw, and even fruit peels, are being explored to create advanced materials for supercapacitors and batteries.

Responding to the demand for flexible and wearable electronics, researchers are focusing on flexible supercapacitors and their corresponding electrode materials. While carbon-based flexible electrodes (FEs) are promising, those derived directly from biomass, beyond graphene and carbon nanotubes, remain underexplored.

Chitin Fiber Film: A Breakthrough in Flexibility and Performance

Foldable transparent film made of carbon polyhedra with lush green forest background, symbolizing sustainable energy.

Jinru Yue and team developed a flexible carbon film using chitin fiber textile, a readily available and cost-effective material. They carbonized the chitin fibers without any additional pretreatment, activators, or templates, creating a unique, high-performance electrode. Different carbonization temperatures were tested to optimize the film's properties.

The resulting carbon fibrous films possess a distinctive microstructure with ultra-high specific surface areas, reaching up to 382.2 m²/g. This structure is formed by the irregular stacking and interconnection of numerous polyhedron carbon-scales, resulting in many crevices and grooves, which dramatically increase the surface area available for electrochemical reactions.

Exceptional Flexibility: Capable of being repeatedly folded without damage, making it ideal for flexible devices.
High Capacitance: Achieves a maximum specific capacitance of 114.9 F/g at 1 A/g, indicating its ability to store a large amount of energy.
Excellent Cycling Performance: Retains about 94.0% of its capacitance after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at 1 A/g, showcasing its durability and long-term reliability.

The superior performance of the chitin-derived carbon fibrous film is attributed to its unique microstructure and high surface area. The interconnected polyhedron carbon-scales provide numerous sites for charge accumulation, while the material's flexibility ensures it can withstand the mechanical stresses of wearable and flexible devices.

The Future of Energy Storage: Biomass and Beyond

This research highlights the potential of biomass-derived materials, specifically chitin, in advancing energy storage technologies. By creating a flexible, high-performance electrode material, the team has opened new avenues for sustainable and cost-effective supercapacitors.

The successful development of this chitin fiber film not only addresses the need for flexible energy storage solutions but also promotes the use of renewable resources. As the demand for wearable electronics and portable devices continues to grow, innovations like this will be crucial in shaping a more sustainable future.

Further research and development in this area could lead to even more efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage devices. The focus on biomass-derived materials aligns with global efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and promote a circular economy, making it a promising direction for future innovations.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1088/2053-1591/aae1e5, Alternate LINK

Title: Polyhedron Carbon-Scale Stacking Foldable Fibrous Film Electrode With High Capacitance Performance From Chitin Fiber Cloth For Super Flexible Supercapacitors

Subject: Metals and Alloys

Journal: Materials Research Express

Publisher: IOP Publishing

Authors: Jinru Yue, Bo Li, Tao Ju, Zongrong Ying, Jiating Lu, Yongzheng Zhang

Published: 2018-10-05

Everything You Need To Know

What is the core innovation in the field of supercapacitors discussed?

A novel carbon-scale stacking foldable film electrode is made from chitin fiber cloth. It represents a significant advancement in energy storage due to its flexibility and high performance, particularly in supercapacitors. This technology is biomass-based, offering a sustainable solution for advanced energy storage needs.

Why are supercapacitors and carbon materials important in the context of this advancement?

Supercapacitors are essential for sustainable energy solutions, especially due to their high power density and long life cycles. They are able to store and release energy much faster than traditional batteries. The use of carbon materials, like the chitin fiber film, is critical in electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) because of their unique architectures and stability, making them a key component in the push towards sustainable energy.

What gives the chitin fiber film its superior performance?

The chitin-derived carbon fibrous film achieves its superior performance because of its unique microstructure and high surface area. The interconnected polyhedron carbon-scales provide numerous sites for charge accumulation. This distinctive structure, formed by the irregular stacking of numerous polyhedron carbon-scales, increases the surface area available for electrochemical reactions, resulting in exceptional flexibility, high capacitance, and excellent cycling performance.

What are the key characteristics that make the chitin fiber film stand out?

The chitin fiber film is exceptional because it can be repeatedly folded without damage. It also has a high specific capacitance of 114.9 F/g at 1 A/g, demonstrating its great energy storage capabilities. Furthermore, it retains about 94.0% of its capacitance after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at 1 A/g, showing its durability and long-term reliability.

How does this research impact the future of energy storage?

The development of the chitin fiber film opens new avenues for sustainable and cost-effective supercapacitors. By using biomass-derived materials, like chitin, researchers are contributing to advancements in energy storage technologies. This innovation highlights the potential of sustainable materials in creating high-performance, flexible devices, crucial for the future of energy storage and wearable electronics.