Versatile Protein and Its Subunit Biomolecules for Advanced Rechargeable Batteries.

Rechargeable batteries are of great significance for alleviating the growing energy crisis by providing efficient and sustainable energy storage solution. However, the multiple issues associated with the diverse components in a battery system as well as the interphase problems greatly hinder their applications. Proteins and its subunits, peptides and amino acids, are versatile biomolecules. Functional groups in different amino acids endow these biomolecules with unique properties including the self-assembly, ion conducting, antioxidation, great affinity to exterior species, etc. Besides, protein and its subunit materials can not only work in solid forms, but also in liquid forms when dissolved in solutions, making them more versatile to realize materials engineering via diverse approaches. In this review, we aim to offer a comprehensive understanding about the properties of proteins and its subunits, and research progress of using these versatile biomolecules to address the engineering issues of various rechargeable batteries, including alkali-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, metal-air batteries, and flow batteries. The state-of-the-art advances in electrode, electrolyte, separator, binder, catalyst, interphase modification, as well as recycle of rechargeable batteries are involved, and the impacts of biomolecules on electrochemical properties are particularly emphasized. Finally, perspectives on this interesting field are also provided. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.