Electrochemical Capacitors for Miniaturized Self-powered Systems
Licentiatavhandling, 2018
Bringing the IoT high-level requirements down to the device-level specifications, challenges to ECs are identified in different aspects, including device electrochemical performance, and device encapsulation/integration. Regarding the performance, challenges exist in (1) improving the energy density, (2) maximizing the operating voltage limit, (3) widening the working temperature range, (4) minimizing the self-discharge and leakage current, and (5) enhancing the frequency response property. Regarding the encapsulation and integration aspect, challenges exist in device design and fabrication. Novel encapsulation and integration EC concepts are thus appreciated to be compatible with the surface mount technology, allow for convenient adaption in the form factor and arbitrary choice of the EC materials (electrodes, electrolytes and separators). Moreover, the EC materials should be durable under the ambient conditions that occur during the encapsulation and integration processes, such as high-temperature exposure for the reflow soldering technique.
The thesis research work addresses the device performance challenges. Specifically, the use of redox electrolytes is promoted for improving the energy density of ECs towards a battery-level, and at the same time keeping the capacitor-level power capability and cycling stability. With a redox-active electrolyte KBr, hybrid devices combining the features of both batteries and ECs are constructed, and a 1.9 V maximum operating voltage is achieved in the aqueous system. Furthermore, voltage- and history-dependent behaviors are revealed, reminding the complexity of hybrid systems.
To explore the extreme high-temperature performance, a special measurement setup is customized and an EMImAc (1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate) ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte is employed to enable an operation at a maximum of 150 °C. It is observed that the energy and power densities at high temperatures may not be sacrificed when decreasing the operating voltage limit, therefore it is proposed that for neat IL-based ECs, a strategy of trading the voltage limit for gaining stability at extreme high-temperatures can be considered.
With a graphite and carbon nanotubes hybrid material, it is demonstrated that the self-discharge and leakage current can be suppressed by employing a gel polymer electrolyte. Using the same electrode material, high-frequency ECs that are suitable for AC line filtering tasks are fabricated. The working frequency range is up to kHz with a state-of-art level areal (1.38 mF cm-2) and volumetric capacitances (345 mF cm-3), benefiting from a possible covalent bonding between graphite substrate and the CVD grown CNTs.
Not limited to the above research findings, this thesis has critically reviewed and summarized the general strategies and methods to address all the identified challenges to ECs for their application in miniaturized self-powered systems.
Electrolyte materials
Electrochemical capacitors
AC line filters
Energy storage
Miniaturized self-powered systems
Electrode materials
Författare
Qi Li
Chalmers, Mikroteknologi och nanovetenskap, Elektronikmaterial
Redox enhanced energy storage in an aqueous high-voltage electrochemical capacitor with a potassium bromide electrolyte
Journal of Power Sources,;Vol. 348(2017)p. 219-228
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift
Thermal influence on the electrochemical behavior of a supercapacitor containing an ionic liquid electrolyte
Electrochimica Acta,;Vol. 263(2018)p. 249-260
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift
Q. Li, S. Sun, A. D. Smith, P. Lundgren, Y. Fu, P. Su, T. Xu, L. Ye, L. Sun, J. Liu, P. Enoksson, Compact and low loss electrochemical capacitors using a graphite / carbon nanotube hybrid material for miniaturized systems
Smart MEMs Piezo based energy Harvesting with Integrated Supercapacitor and packaging (Smart-MEMPHIS)
Europeiska kommissionen (EU) (EC/H2020/644378), 2014-12-15 -- 2018-06-14.
Drivkrafter
Hållbar utveckling
Ämneskategorier
Materialteknik
Nanoteknik
Kemi
Infrastruktur
Nanotekniklaboratoriet
Styrkeområden
Materialvetenskap
Technical report MC2 - Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology: 403
Utgivare
Chalmers
Kollectorn (A423), MC2, Kemivägen 9, Chalmers
Opponent: Prof. Aleksandar Matic, Department of Physics, Chalmers