Wearable woven supercapacitor fabrics with high energy density and load-bearing capability.

ABSTRACT: Flexible power sources with load bearing capability are attractive for modern wearable electronics. Here, free-standing supercapacitor fabrics that can store high electrical energy and sustain large mechanical loads are directly woven to be compatible with flexible systems. The prototype with reduced package weight/volume provides an impressive energy density of 2.58 mWh g-1 or 3.6 mWh cm-3, high tensile strength of over 1000?MPa, and bearable pressure of over 100?MPa. The nanoporous thread electrodes are prepared by the activation of commercial carbon fibers to have three-orders of magnitude increase in the specific surface area and 86% retention of the original strength. The novel device configuration woven by solid electrolyte-coated threads shows excellent flexibility and stability during repeated mechanical bending tests. A supercapacitor watchstrap is used to power a liquid crystal display as an example of load-bearing power sources with various form-factor designs for wearable electronics.

SUBMITTER: Shen C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5662724 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature