Vinyl acetate-ethylene as a potential alternative to fluorine free binders in supercapacitors

•Vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) used as fluorine-free alternative to PFAS-based binder.•VAE-based electrode materials show several environmental benefits compared to PFAS.•VAE-based materials are readily available and can replace PFAS in the short term.•Aqueous VAE-supercapacitors show a comparable performance to PFAS-based devices.•VAE-based electrode shows higher surface area compared to PTFE. Supercapacitors are an environmentally friendly energy storage technology that is in increasing demand. However, the binder materials used in the electrodes of supercapacitors often contain fluorine components, which are ecologically harmful and are the subject of upcoming restrictions. This study presents an ecologically friendly alternative: vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) modified carbon materials in aqueous supercapacitors. It describes initial measurements obtained in VAE-based supercapacitors filled with KOH or Na2SO4. The materials and methods used can, however, also be applied to other aqueous capacitors and batteries.