Fully stretchable self-charging power unit with micro-supercapacitor and triboelectric nanogenerator based on oxidized single-walled carbon nanotube/polymer electrodes

• Published in: Nano energy 2021-08, Vol.86, p.106083, Article 106083
• Main Authors: Yang, Hye Jin, Lee, Jae-Won, Seo, Seon Hee, Jeong, Bosu, Lee, Byunghak, Do, Woo Jong, Kim, Jung Hoon, Cho, Joon Young, Jo, Ajeong, Jeong, Hee Jin, Jeong, Seung Yol, Kim, Guang-Hoon, Lee, Geon-Woong, Shin, Young-Eun, Ko, Hyunhyub, Han, Joong Tark, Park, Jong Hwan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fully stretchable wearable electronics; Micro-supercapacitors; Oxidized single-walled carbon nanotube; Self-charging power unit; Triboelectric nanogenerators
• ISSN: 2211-2855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106083

A key requirement for wearable electronics is an adequate and sustainable power source. Accordingly, a self-powering unit that replaces rechargeable secondary batteries is a promising solution. However, to realize permanent, maintenance-free, and highly durable wearable electronics, stretchable self-powering units that can harvest and store energy should be developed. In this study, we developed a fully stretchable self-charging power unit that integrates a micro-supercapacitor and triboelectric nanogenerator using oxidized single-walled carbon nanotube/polymer electrodes. The fully stretchable micro-supercapacitor with oxidized single-walled carbon nanotube/polyvinylalcohol electrodes exhibited a double layer capacitance of 20 mF cm−2 at 0.1 mA cm−2 and improved mechanical flexibility and stretchability over 10,000 cycles of stretching tests. A stretchable, polydimethylsiloxane-based current collector employing silver nanoparticles embedded with oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes enabled the fully stretchable, freestanding-triboelectric-layer based nanogenerators to produce a maximum instantaneous power density of 84.4 mW m−2 under periodic and round-trip sliding of a Nylon fabric while stretching up to 40% without significant performance degradation. Furthermore, a micro-supercapacitor of fully stretchable self-charging power unit could be successfully charged by the nanogenerator from 0 to 2.2 V in 1200 s and powered commercial digital clock for approximately 10 s. These results demonstrate that stretchable polymer composites with oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes are suitable electrodes and active materials for fully stretchable and self-powered wearable electronics. [Display omitted] •Ag NPs embedded with Ox-SWCNTs for current collectors of fully stretchable FTENG and MSC.•Intrinsically stretchable Ox-SWCNT/PVA/H3PO4 electrode for fully stretchable MSCs.•Highly durable, fully stretchable self-charging power unit that integrates MSC and FTENG.•Simultaneous energy harvesting and storage functions of the FS-SCPU from repetitive human motion.