Enhanced Energy Density in All-in-One Device Integrating Si Solar Cell and Supercapacitor Using [BMIm]Cl/PVA Gel...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Storage
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• All-in-one solar cell and supercapacitor systems offer high efficiency and portability.
• Conventional systems require external wiring, leading to resistance and charge transfer issues.
• Integrated devices simplify design by sharing electrodes, improving charge transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate all-in-one devices combining silicon solar cells and supercapacitors.
• To evaluate the performance of devices utilizing H3PO4/PVA and [BMIm]Cl/PVA polymer gel electrolytes.
• To assess the energy density, power density, and stability of the integrated devices.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of all-in-one devices integrating silicon solar cells with polymer gel electrolytes.
• Incorporation of H3PO4/PVA and [BMIm]Cl/PVA electrolytes for supercapacitor functionality.
• Performance evaluation through photocharging and galvanostatic discharge cycles, measuring areal capacitance, energy density, and power density.

Main Results:

• Devices exhibited areal capacitances of 452.5 mF·cm⁻² (H3PO4/PVA) and 550 mF·cm⁻² ([BMIm]Cl/PVA) after 100s photocharging.
• The [BMIm]Cl/PVA device demonstrated significantly higher energy and power densities compared to H3PO4/PVA and literature values.
• Consistent areal capacitance retention was observed for the [BMIm]Cl/PVA device, indicating good stability.

Conclusions:

• The [BMIm]Cl/PVA-based all-in-one device offers enhanced performance and stability.
• These integrated devices are promising for self-charging portable and wearable applications.
• The study provides insights for designing efficient and stable integrated solar energy storage systems.