May 13 2024Reviewed by Lexie Corner
In a recent paper published in npj Flexible Electronics, collaborative researchers from POSTECH and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology have created a small energy storage device with exceptional elasticity. Based on this technology, the team developed a micro supercapacitor (MSC) that could be expanded and contracted more than 1,000 times without sacrificing its ability to store energy.
The photographs of highly deformable MSC. Image Credit: Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
The collaborative research team led by Dr. Chanwoo Yang and researcher Seong Ju Park from the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) was involved in this study together with Prof. Jin Kon Kim and Dr. Keon-Woo Kim from POSTECH.
The era of stretchable IT devices is on the horizon, extending beyond foldable and rollable gadgets. The creation of tiny, flexible energy storage devices is crucial for these gadgets. MSCs, which have extremely small volumes and can power such electronic devices, are becoming increasingly popular. However, the solid metals frequently used as current collectors, like gold (Au), are naturally less stretchable, which significantly limits their ability to deform.
The research team chose gallium-indium liquid metal (EGaIn) to serve as the MSC current collector in this study. As it is a liquid, EGaIn is highly conductive and easily deformable. However, shaping it has presented serious technical difficulties. To overcome this, the group devised a laser patterning technique for EGaIn. The team successfully patterned EGaIn with the laser’s intense energy, using it as the MSC's current collector straightforwardly and accurately.
Even when folded, crumpled, or twisted, this device showed steady energy supply capability.
Laser technology allows for precise work while also speeding up the process...This research will be useful in various industrial fields and contribute to the development and commercialization of elastic energy storage devices.
Dr. Chanwoo Yang, Study Team Lead, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
Journal Reference:
Ki, K., et al. (2024) Deformable micro-supercapacitor fabricated via laser ablation patterning of Graphene/liquid metal. npj Flexible Electronics. doi.org/10.1038/s41528-024-00306-2.