Fully laser-patterned stretchable microsupercapacitors integrated with soft electronic circuit components

Abstract

Stretchable energy storage devices are prerequisites for the realization of autonomous elastomeric electronics. Microsupercapacitors (MSCs) are promising candidates for this purpose due to their high power and energy densities, potential for miniaturization, and feasibility of embedding in circuits; however, efforts to realize stretchable MSCs have mostly relied on strain-accommodating materials and have suffered from limited stretchability, low conductivity, or complicated patterning processes. Here, we designed and fabricated a stretchable MSC based on reduced-grapheneoxide/Au heterostructures patterned by facile and versatile direct laser patterning. An interconnected and stable 3D network composed of vertically oriented heterostructures was realized by high-repetition-rate femtosecond laser pulses. Upon transferring to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), the 3D network achieved a high conductivity of~10 5 S m −1 , and the conductivity could be maintained at~10 4 S m −1 even at 50% strain. A fully laser-patterned stretchable electronics system was integrated with embedded MSCs, which will find applications in soft robotics, wearable electronics, and the Internet of Things.

3D‐Printed Stretchable Micro‐Supercapacitor with Remarkable Areal Performance

“… The areal capacitance derived from CV curves were calculated to be 216.2 mF cm −2 at a scan rate of 10 mV s −1 , and remained as high as 72.8 mF cm −2 at a high scan rate of 2000 mV s −1 . This areal capacitance is far higher than that of all previously reported stretchable MSCs (Figure 4c; Table S1, Supporting Information), and higher than most that of reported flexible and 3D‐printed MSCs (Figure S6, Supporting Information). The specific areal capacitances of MXene‐AgNW and MXene‐AgNW‐MnONW MSCs with similar electrode thicknesses were measured to be 107.1 and 247.8 mF cm −2 at a scan rate of 10 mV s −1 , respectively (Figures S7a–c and S8a–c, Supporting Information).…”

“…Figure 4h compares the areal energy and power density values of the MXene‐AgNW‐MnONW‐C60 MSC with previously reported stretchable MSCs . It exhibited a high areal energy density of 19.2 µWh cm −2 at a power density of 0.86 mW cm −2 , and 6.47 µWh cm −2 at a high power density of 58.3 mW cm −2 .…”

“…However, to enable the practical operation of wearable on‐chip microdevices, two fundamental hurdles remain to be addressed. In existing devices, elasticity has usually come with a cost of a tedious and complicated fabrication processes, which restricts the practical design and integration of MSCs with other electronics . In addition, maximizing the adhesive and mechanical stability between the electrode materials and the elastic substrate has generally required thin electrodes .…”

Research Frontiers in Energy‐Related Materials and Applications for 2020–2030

“…One promising approach comes from the family of hybrid metal-ion SCs (Li + , [95,96] Na + , [97] K + , [57] and even Al 3+ [98] ), which exhibits remarkable energy storage. [100] The development of flexible solidstate SCs [101] and printed and fiber-shaped supercapacitors with desirable size and morphology [102][103][104] constitute major steps toward the integration of SCs into wearable and flexible (micro) electronic devices following the needs of the technology market. Another promising approach involves switching from the classic design of SCs as static systems to the concept of "electrochemical flow SCs" by employing flowable electrodes, which provide new opportunities for scalability, high power density, and long lifetime.…”

Flexible reduced graphene oxide supercapacitors processed using atmospheric-pressure plasma jet under various temperatures adjusted by flow rate and jet-substrate distance

“…Meng et al used plasma treatment to enhance electrochemical performance of graphene fiber-based supercapacitors [11]. Park et al designed and fabricated a stretchable microsupercapacitors based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-Au heterostructures patterned by direct laser patterning [12]. Liu et al used microplasma jet etching to define patterns on coplanar CNT microsupercapacitors without masks [13].…”