All-Inkjet-Printed Ti3C2 MXene Capacitor for Textile Energy Storage

Abstract

The emerging wearable electronics integrated into textiles are posing new challenges both in materials and micro-fabrication strategies to produce textile-based energy storage and power source micro-devices. In this regard, inkjet printing (IJP) offers unique features for rapid prototyping for various thin-film (2D) devices. However, all-inkjet-printed capacitors were very rarely reported in the literature. In this work, we formulated a stable Ti3C2 MXene aqueous ink for inkjet printing current-collector-free electrodes on TPU-coated cotton fabric, together with an innovative inkjet-printable and UV-curable solvent-based electrolyte precursor. The electrolyte was inkjet-printed on the electrode’s surface, and after UV polymerization, a thin and soft gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) was obtained, resulting in an all-inkjet-printed symmetrical capacitor (a-IJPSC). The highest ionic conductivity (0.60 mS/cm) was achieved with 10 wt.% of acrylamide content, and the capacitance retention was investigated both at rest (flat) and under bending conditions. The flat a-IJPSC textile-based device showed the areal capacitance of 0.89 mF/cm2 averaged on 2k cycles. Finally, an array of a-IJPSCs were demonstrated to be feasible as both a textile-based energy storage and micro-power source unit able to power a blue LED for several seconds.

A Textile Solid-State Zinc-Ion Capacitor

“…This energy storage device achieves an areal energy density of 0.47 µWh•cm −2 (per device area) or 0.51 mWh•cm −2 (per active material area) between 1.8 and 0.1 V, with good bending durability. In comparison with previous devices [3], the proposed zinc-ion capacitors are directly printed on the textile, encapsulated, and tested without tube fitting. Future work will include optimizing the formulation and fabrication method of the active materials based on the printing technique for better electrochemical performance and durability.…”

“…A ZIC is an improved electrical energy device for wearable electronics without occupying an excessive physical area. Previously, Gibertini et al [3] presented an inkjet-printed solid-state capacitor array on a polyurethane-coated textile. It was fabricated with Ti 3 C 2 MXene as the electrode and current collector and a LiCl half-aqueous half-organic gel polymer film as the electrolyte and encapsulation, achieving areal capacitance of 0.89 mF•cm −2 and areal energy density of 0.08 µWh•cm −2 , but both values decreased to 61.7% after 140 charge/discharge cycles due to the reaction between Ti 3 C 2 MXene and the water in the electrolyte.…”

Zinc Plating on Inkjet-Printed Ti3C2Tx MXene: Effect of Electrolyte and PEG Additive

“…Then the solution was subjected to this series of centrifuges: 3 cycles at 3500 rpm for 10 min, 1 cycle at 5000 rpm for 1 h, and 1 cycle at 8000 rpm for 20 min, discarding the transparent supernatant and redispersing the sediment between each cycle. Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene Ink Preparation and Printing-The Ti 3 C 2 T x ink preparation was readapted from a previously reported protocol [43] and prepared according to the following procedure: 40 mL of the delaminated suspension were placed in a beaker, and 0.1 g of Naasc was added. The solution was stirred for 10 min, transferred to a bath sonicator (20 W/L) for 30 min, and then to a probe sonicator (2 s on, 2 s off, 180 W, 30 min of total time).…”