Triboelectric Capacitance Supplementation in Energy Storage Composites with Functionalized Carbon Fiber Electrodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Storage
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Structural supercapacitors integrate load-bearing capacity with energy storage using carbon fiber (CF) electrodes.
• Mechanical deformation previously increased capacitance, but the underlying mechanisms were not fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the triboelectric charge generation at CF/separator interfaces in structural supercapacitors.
• To explore how surface functionalization and hybrid piezoelectric-triboelectric layers impact energy storage and mechanical properties.

Main Methods:

• Quantified interlayer triboelectric charges using cyclic contact-separation mode.
• Utilized materials from the triboelectric series to maximize output.
• Functionalized CF with chemical groups and incorporated hybrid piezoelectric-triboelectric layers.

Main Results:

• Desized CF yielded high instantaneous current but poor energy retention.
• Tailored functionalization of CF improved both triboelectric charge generation and capacitive stability.
• A hybrid layer achieved a charge density of 19.9 ± 0.2 µC m⁻² and specific capacitance of 23.1 mF g⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• Surface functionalization and hybrid piezoelectric-triboelectric layers are crucial for enhancing structural supercapacitor performance.
• Combining triboelectric and piezoelectric phenomena offers a pathway to self-powered, load-bearing components.
• Potential applications include aerospace, automotive, and wearable electronics.