Researchers make incredible breakthrough using tree secretion that was considered useless: 'Enables remarkable performance'

Researchers have found a new purpose for the gum of a tree native to India that could save electric vehicle owners money.

They're using it to extend the lives of supercapacitors, battery-like devices that often power clean energy alternatives such as EVs. The authors of a new study published in Energy Storage Materials say that combining the tree gum with a chemical compound can help conventional supercapacitors maintain their charge.

Cochlospermum gossypium is a tree species native to India. It secretes a product called kondagogu gum, which, aside from a few medicinal properties, has no real use. Jun Young Cheong of the University of Glasgow's James Watt School of Engineering, a co-author of the study, said the trees "are actually a bit of a headache for the Indian government to dispose of," as relayed by Tech Xplore.

"With this research, we've found a way of making something genuinely impactful from this gum, creating a biodegradable, recyclable biopolymer which enables remarkable performance and could extend the useful life of supercapacitors dramatically," Cheong added.

In the study, the researchers demonstrated that kondagogu gum, when mixed with sodium alginate, could coat the acidic electrolytes found in supercapacitors, protecting them from degradation and extending their lifespan.

Lab tests showed that the improved electrolytes boosted energy savings. The supercapacitor was able to maintain 93% of its full charge after 30,000 cycles, while an average supercapacitor dropped to 58% charge.

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"If we were to run one cycle per day, the supercapacitor could theoretically last more than 80 years without losing significant performance, which could mean that supercapacitors could be used in devices for much longer without being replaced," Cheong said.

Right now, most EVs are expected to last between 12 and 15 years and use lithium-ion battery packs. But some car brands are making the switch to supercapacitors because of their ability to maintain a charge. Using the tree gum mixture could prolong the lives of those supercapacitors, allowing consumers to keep their electric vehicles longer.

The boost in charge could also mean less toxic waste in landfills. While efforts are being made to recycle supercapacitors at the end of their lives, most end up in an incinerator or buried in the ground. Keeping them in use for longer prevents them from damaging the planet.

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