Multitasking MXene Inks Enable High-Performance Printable Microelectrochemical Energy Storage Devices for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Storage
• Wearable Electronics

Background:

• Future electronics require wearable, sustainable, and safe materials.
• Manufacturing self-sufficient electronic systems faces significant challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop multitasking aqueous printable MXene inks for advanced electronic applications.
• To demonstrate the fabrication of micro-supercapacitors and microbatteries using these inks.

Main Methods:

• Screen printing of additive-free MXene inks onto various substrates.
• Fabrication of MXene-based micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) and lithium-ion microbatteries (LIMBs).
• Integration of MSCs, LIMBs, and solar cells into a self-powered system.

Main Results:

• MSCs achieved ultrahigh areal capacitance (1.1 F cm⁻²) and record voltage (60 V) when serially connected.
• LIMBs demonstrated robust areal energy density (154 μWh cm⁻²).
• An integrated system showed high sensitivity to body movements with a 35 ms response time.

Conclusions:

• Multitasking MXene inks offer a versatile platform for fabricating high-performance electronic components.
• This technology enables the development of flexible, self-powered integrated systems for smart appliances and wearable devices.