Impact-resistant supercapacitor by hydrogel-infused lattice

The safety of energy storage devices is increasingly crucial due to the growing requirements for application under harsh conditions. Effective methods for enhancing robustness without compromising functionality are necessary. Here we present an impact-resistant, ready-to-use supercapacitor constructed from self-healable hydrogel electrolyte-infused lattice electrodes. Three-dimensional-printed carbon-coated silicon oxycarbide current collectors provide mechanical protection, with compressive stress, Young's modulus, and energy absorption up to 70.61 MPa, 2.75 GPa, and 92.15 kJ/m³, respectively. Commercially viable polyaniline and self-healable polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel are used as active coatings and electrolytes. I-wrapped package structured supercapacitor electrode exhibits a static specific capacitance of 585.51 mF/cm³ at 3 mA/cm³, with an energy density of 97.63 µWh/cm³ at a power density of 0.5 mW/cm³. It maintains operational integrity under extreme conditions, including post-impact with energy of 0.3 J/cm³, dynamic loading ranging from 0 to 18.83 MPa, and self-healing after electrolyte damage, demonstrating its promise for applications in extreme environments.

Shixiang Zhou, Yijing Zhao, Kaixi Zhang, Yanran Xun, Xueyu Tao, Wentao Yan, Wei Zhai, Jun Ding