Multifunctional structural energy storage composite supercapacitors

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Electrochemical Energy Storage
• Composite Materials

Background:

• Developing multifunctional composites that perform structural and energy storage roles is a significant engineering challenge.
• Existing materials often compromise mechanical integrity or energy storage capacity.
• Structural carbon fibre composites offer potential for load-bearing applications but lack integrated energy storage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create structural supercapacitors using laminated carbon fibre fabrics.
• To enhance electrode surface area and mechanical properties using carbon aerogels (CAG).
• To develop advanced multifunctional electrolytes for improved performance.

Main Methods:

• Modification of structural carbon fibres (CF) using methods like etching and carbon nanotube integration.
• Incorporation of porous bicontinuous monolithic carbon aerogels (CAG) into the composite matrix.
• Development of bicontinuous structural epoxy-ionic liquid hybrid electrolytes.
• Electrochemical characterization of supercapacitor cells and mechanical property assessment of composites.

Main Results:

• Successfully produced working structural supercapacitor composite prototypes.
• CAG integration significantly increased electrode surface area and addressed mechanical failure modes.
• Hybrid electrolytes demonstrated a superior balance of rigidity and molecular motion.
• Demonstrators, including a car boot lid, were fabricated, showing scalability.

Conclusions:

• Multifunctional structural supercapacitors based on carbon fibre composites are feasible.
• The integration of carbon aerogels and advanced electrolytes enhances both mechanical and electrochemical performance.
• This approach enables the development of lightweight, high-performance materials for integrated energy storage and structural applications.