Bacteria-Made Material Could Revolutionize Battery Design and Performance

<p>Bacterial cellulose (BC) is gaining significant interest as a cost-effective and high-performance separator substrate for lithium-based batteries. This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric and thematic analysis of BC-based nanocomposites in lithium-based energy storage devices. According to the findings, the field shows remarkable growth relative to article production, with an increase of 11.41% per annum, and a high collaboration intensity of 6.77 authors on average and 27.84% in co-authorship among international authors. The thematic and factorial analyses show a shift from primary exploratory research to more recent and advanced research in the field, with BC-derived carbon materials and electrode architectures as primary research pillars in the field. Emerging research areas identified include redox separators and hybrid nanostructures, which offer prospects in the field. From a technological perspective, BC-based nanocomposites have been recognized for their high versatility, as indicated by their nanofibrillar structure, porous properties, and compatibility with a variety of functional modifications, which can be exploited for the construction of binder-free electrodes, carbon aerogels, polymer-functionalized composites, Si-integrated anodes, and MOF-based interlayers. Such materials can reach high electrochemical performance, including capacities of &gt;1000 mAh g−1, as well as enhanced cycling stability and safety. Scalability, stability, and durability issues hinder commercialization.</p>