Nagaland University (NU) researchers have developed a sustainable and robust hydrogel membrane electrolyte using the natural biopolymer chitosan, which offers a safer and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional liquid electrolytes used in supercapacitors.
The team demonstrated the practical applicability of the technology by developing a prototype supercapacitor capable of powering a red LED indicator.
The research findings were published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, a reputed peer-reviewed international Q1 journal published by Elsevier. The paper was co-authored by NU research scholars Dipankar Hazarika, with Nuphizo Shijoh, and Marjo A. Kichu as co-researchers, under the supervision of Dr. Nurul Alam Choudhury, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, NU.
Highlighting the need for researchers to study critical technologies, NU vice chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik said Nagaland University has achieved a significant breakthrough in sustainable energy research with the development of a chitosan-based hydrogel electrolyte for solid-state supercapacitors. Prof. Patnaik said that the advancement marked an important step toward eco-friendly and reliable next-generation energy storage technologies, reinforcing the University’s commitment to cutting-edge research and sustainable development.”
The supercapacitor built using this electrolyte showed excellent durability, maintaining stable performance till 46,000 charge-discharge cycles.
Elaborating on the research, Dr. Choudhury said that hydrogel electrolyte demonstrated excellent performance when tested in supercapacitor devices. He said it enabled efficient ion movement and stable energy storage, enabling the device deliver reliable energy output. The system also showed good energy storage capacity, highlighting its potential for next-generation supercapacitors.
The next phase of the research would focus on scaling up the fabrication of hydrogel membrane electrolytes, integrating them into commercial supercapacitor modules, and testing their performance under real-world operating conditions. Future work will also explore flexible and wearable energy storage devices based on this technology.
Thursday, April 9, 2026