Fibrous Electrode Buckle Structure for Flexible Supercapacitors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional supercapacitors lack flexibility and durability, making them unsuitable for applications in flexible electronic devices due to their rigid structure and poor performance under deformations such as bending or stretching.
Innovation Solution
A fibrous electrode with a buckle structure is developed, comprising an elastic fiber coated with a carbon nanotube sheet that maintains electrical conductivity even under various deformations, achieved by stretching the elastic fiber, fixing its ends, winding the carbon nanotube sheet parallel to the fiber's longitudinal direction, and releasing the tension to form a buckle structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid metal layer and electrode structure is used in supercapacitor, then electrical conductivity is improved, but flexibility and durability under deformation are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid metal layers with flexible thin films including carbon nanotube sheets and conductive polymer coatings. These thin films maintain electrical conductivity while providing the necessary flexibility for deformable electronic devices, directly resolving the contradiction between conductivity and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite structures combining carbon nanotube sheets with conductive polymer coatings, and integrating these with flexible substrate materials. This composite approach achieves both high electrical conductivity and superior flexibility, allowing the supercapacitor to maintain performance under various deformations.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional rigid electrode structure is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but performance under deformation (bending, stretching) is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible thin films as electrodes instead of rigid structures, enabling the device to withstand bending and stretching while maintaining electrical performance. This approach preserves manufacturing simplicity while dramatically improving deformation resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic, deformable electrode structures that can adapt to mechanical stress through their flexible nature. The thin film electrodes and composite materials allow the structure to dynamically respond to deformation without losing functionality, unlike rigid conventional electrodes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If thread-shaped capacitor with nanowire on nanofiber is used, then flexibility is improved, but electrical conductivity and performance under deformation are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials combining carbon nanotube sheets with conductive polymer coatings on flexible substrates. This composite structure provides both the flexibility of thin films and the high electrical conductivity needed, overcoming the limitations of nanowire-on-nanofiber structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters by using carbon nanotube sheets and conductive polymers with superior electrical properties compared to nanowire structures. This parameter change maintains flexibility while significantly improving electrical conductivity and deformation resistance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fibrous electrode maintains consistent electrical conductivity and flexibility, allowing it to be effectively used in flexible electronic devices without losing performance during deformations, such as stretching or bending, and can be applied to various fields including implantable medical devices and wearable technology.
Implementation Method 1
The carbon nanotube sheet has a buckle structure
Implementation Method 2
an elastic fiber
Data Source
AI summary
A fibrous electrode includes a carbon nanotube sheet which is coated on an elastic fiber and has a buckle structure. Thus, the fibrous electrode may maintain a fiber shape, may be light and small and may maintain excellent conductivity even when variously deformed. In addition, the fibrous electrode has high elasticity and thus is capable of being variously deformed (e.g., bent or stretched) and of being realized in the form of textile. As a result, the fibrous electrode may be effectively applied to flexible electronic devices such as implantable medical devices, microelectronic devices, Google glasses, smart watches, wearable computers, and smart clothing. Furthermore, a supercapacitor using the fibrous electrode includes flexible materials and thus is not easily damaged by external force such as tension or pressure. As a result, the supercapacitor may be applied to various fields because of its excellent flexibility.