Engineering materials that can store electrical energy in structural load paths can revolutionize lightweight design across transport modes. Stiff and strong batteries that use solid‐state electrolytes and resilient electrodes and separators are generally lacking. Herein, a structural battery composite with unprecedented multifunctional performance is demonstrated, featuring an energy density of 24 Wh kg−1 and an elastic modulus of 25 GPa and tensile strength exceeding 300 MPa. The structural battery is made from multifunctional constituents, where reinforcing carbon fibers (CFs) act as electrode and current collector. A structural electrolyte is used for load transfer and ion transport and a glass fiber fabric separates the CF electrode from an aluminum foil‐supported lithium–iron–phosphate positive electrode. Equipped with these materials, lighter electrical cars, aircraft, and consumer goods can be pursued.
Carbon fibres (CFs), originally made for use in structural composites, have also been demonstrated as high capacity Li-ion battery negative electrodes. Consequently, CFs can be used as structural electrodes; simultaneously carrying mechanical load and storing electrical energy in multifunctional structural batteries. To date, all CF microstructural designs have been generated to realise a targeted mechanical property, e.g. high strength or stiffness, based on a profound understanding of the relationship between the graphitic microstructure and the mechanical performance. Here we further advance this understanding by linking CF microstructure to the lithium insertion mechanism and the resulting electrochemical capacity. Different PAN-based CFs ranging from intermediate-to high-modulus types with distinct differences in microstructure are characterised in detail by SEM and HR-TEM and electrochemical methods. Furthermore, the mechanism of Li-ion intercalation during charge/discharge is studied by in situ confocal Raman spectroscopy on individual CFs. RamanG band analysis reveals a Li-ion intercalation mechanism in the high-modulus fibre reminiscent of that in crystalline graphite. Also, the combination of a relatively low capacity of the highmodulus CFs (ca. 150 mAh/g) is shown to be due to that the formation of a staged structure is frustrated by an obstructive turbostratic disorder. In contrast, intermediate-modulus CFs, which have significantly higher capacities (ca. 300 mAh/g), have Raman spectra indicating a Li-ion insertion mechanism closer to that of partly disordered carbons. Based on these findings, CFs with improved multifunctional performance can be realized by tailoring the graphitic order and crystallite sizes.
Structures that are capable of changing shape can increase efficiency in many applications, but are often heavy and maintenance intensive. To reduce the mass and mechanical complexity solid-state morphing materials are desirable but are typically nonstructural and problematic to control. Here we present an electrically controlled solid-state morphing composite material that is lightweight and has a stiffness higher than aluminum. It is capable of producing large deformations and holding them with no additional power, albeit at low rates. The material is manufactured from commercial carbon fibers and a structural battery electrolyte, and uses lithium-ion insertion to produce shape changes at low voltages. A proof-of-concept material in a cantilever setup is used to show morphing, and analytical modeling shows good correlation with experimental observations. The concept presented shows considerable promise and paves the way for stiff, solid-state morphing materials.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.