Highly flexible, all solid-state micro-supercapacitors from vertically aligned carbon nanotubes

We report a highly flexible planar micro-supercapacitor with interdigitated finger electrodes of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). The planar electrode structures are patterned on a thin polycarbonate substrate with a facile, maskless laser-assisted dry transfer method. Sputtered Ni is used to reduce the in-plane resistance of the VACNT electrodes. An ionogel, an ionic liquid in a semi-solid matrix, is used as an electrolyte to form a fully solid-state device. We measure a specific capacitance of 430 μF cm(-2) for a scan rate of 0.1 V s(-1) and achieve rectangular cyclic voltammograms at high scan rates of up to 100 V s(-1). Minimal change in capacitance is observed under bending. Mechanical fatigue tests with more than 1000 cycles confirm the high flexibility and durability of the novel material combination chosen for this device. Our results indicate that this scalable and facile fabrication technique shows promise for application in integrated energy storage for all solid-state flexible microdevices.

[1]  D. Wei,et al.  Transparent, flexible and solid-state supercapacitors based on room temperature ionic liquid gel , 2009 .

[2]  C. Grigoropoulos,et al.  Synergistic integration of Ni and vertically aligned carbon nanotubes for enhanced transport properties on flexible substrates , 2014 .

[3]  Paul J. Sellin,et al.  Thermal and electrical transport in multi-walled carbon nanotubes , 2004 .

[4]  M. Panzer,et al.  High-performance, mechanically compliant silica-based ionogels for electrical energy storage applications , 2012 .

[5]  L. Lin,et al.  Planar MEMS Supercapacitor using Carbon Nanotube Forests , 2009, 2009 IEEE 22nd International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[6]  Changhong Liu,et al.  Highly oriented carbon nanotube papers made of aligned carbon nanotubes , 2008, Nanotechnology.

[7]  Laurent Pilon,et al.  Physical interpretation of cyclic voltammetry for measuring electric double layer capacitances , 2011 .

[8]  Enric Bertran,et al.  Optimization of MnO 2/vertically aligned carbon nanotube composite for supercapacitor application , 2011 .

[9]  G. Lanzara,et al.  Moving towards high-power, high-frequency and low-resistance CNT supercapacitors by tuning the CNT length, axial deformation and contact resistance , 2012, Nanotechnology.

[10]  Norbert Fabre,et al.  Elaboration of a microstructured inkjet-printed carbon electrochemical capacitor , 2010 .

[11]  C. Grigoropoulos,et al.  Laser-assisted simultaneous transfer and patterning of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays on polymer substrates for flexible devices. , 2012, ACS nano.

[12]  Patrick S. Grant,et al.  A novel hybrid supercapacitor with a carbon nanotube cathode and an iron oxide/carbon nanotube composite anode , 2009 .

[13]  Y. Gogotsi,et al.  Materials for electrochemical capacitors. , 2008, Nature materials.

[14]  Gareth H. McKinley,et al.  Superhydrophobic Carbon Nanotube Forests , 2003 .

[15]  Songtao Lu,et al.  Synergistic effects from graphene and carbon nanotubes enable flexible and robust electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors. , 2012, Nano letters.

[16]  D. Tsai,et al.  Electrochemical capacitors of miniature size with patterned carbon nanotubes and cobalt hydroxide , 2012 .

[17]  M. Ishikawa,et al.  Aligned MWCNT Sheet Electrodes Prepared by Transfer Methodology Providing High-Power Capacitor Performance , 2007 .

[18]  Y. Gogotsi,et al.  True Performance Metrics in Electrochemical Energy Storage , 2011, Science.

[19]  Zheng Yan,et al.  3-Dimensional graphene carbon nanotube carpet-based microsupercapacitors with high electrochemical performance. , 2013, Nano letters.

[20]  R. Maboudian,et al.  Semiconductor nanowires directly grown on graphene--towards wafer scale transferable nanowire arrays with improved electrical contact. , 2013, Nanoscale.

[21]  M. El‐Kady,et al.  Laser Scribing of High-Performance and Flexible Graphene-Based Electrochemical Capacitors , 2012, Science.

[22]  Ji Liang,et al.  Study of electrochemical capacitors utilizing carbon nanotube electrodes , 1999 .

[23]  Marc A. Anderson,et al.  Porous Nickel Oxide/Nickel Films for Electrochemical Capacitors , 1996 .

[24]  K. Hata,et al.  Shape-engineerable and highly densely packed single-walled carbon nanotubes and their application as super-capacitor electrodes , 2006, Nature materials.

[25]  Tin Wing Ng,et al.  Application of novel room temperature ionic liquids in flexible supercapacitors , 2009 .

[26]  Hao Zhang,et al.  Comparison Between Electrochemical Properties of Aligned Carbon Nanotube Array and Entangled Carbon Nanotube Electrodes , 2008 .

[27]  Jean-Yves Fourniols,et al.  Smart wearable systems: Current status and future challenges , 2012, Artif. Intell. Medicine.

[28]  Qiang Zhang,et al.  Carbon nanotube mass production: principles and processes. , 2011, ChemSusChem.

[29]  Chi-Hwan Han,et al.  All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on papers coated with carbon nanotubes and ionic-liquid-based gel electrolytes , 2012, Nanotechnology.

[30]  M. El‐Kady,et al.  Scalable fabrication of high-power graphene micro-supercapacitors for flexible and on-chip energy storage , 2013, Nature Communications.

[31]  Meryl D. Stoller,et al.  Review of Best Practice Methods for Determining an Electrode Material's Performance for Ultracapacitors , 2010 .

[32]  Yi Cui,et al.  Printed energy storage devices by integration of electrodes and separators into single sheets of paper , 2010 .

[33]  G. Gelinck,et al.  Flexible electronic‐paper active‐matrix displays , 2005 .

[34]  Yong Liu,et al.  Direct Growth of Flexible Carbon Nanotube Electrodes , 2008 .

[35]  Zhenxing Zhang,et al.  Freestanding three-dimensional graphene/MnO2 composite networks as ultralight and flexible supercapacitor electrodes. , 2013, ACS nano.

[36]  R. Hoch,et al.  High power electrochemical capacitors based on carbon nanotube electrodes , 1997 .

[37]  Lei Jiang,et al.  Super‐“Amphiphobic” Aligned Carbon Nanotube Films , 2001 .

[38]  Luzhuo Chen,et al.  Highly flexible and all-solid-state paperlike polymer supercapacitors. , 2010, Nano letters.

[39]  P. Taberna,et al.  Monolithic Carbide-Derived Carbon Films for Micro-Supercapacitors , 2010, Science.

[40]  C. Grigoropoulos,et al.  Growth kinetics of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays in clean oxygen-free conditions. , 2011, ACS nano.

[41]  D. Tsai,et al.  Miniature asymmetric ultracapacitor of patterned carbon nanotubes and hydrous ruthenium dioxide , 2012, Nanotechnology.

[42]  Erratum: All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on papers coated with carbon nanotubes and ionic-liquid-based gel electrolytes (Nanotechnology (2012) 23 (065401)) , 2012 .