(Left) Schematic illustration of a composite of CNTs and PANIs. It reveals that the covalently bonded PANIs are evenly distributed among the many CNTs and that every PANI can act as a nanoscale cell.(Proper) The composite fiber fabricated based mostly on these traits reveals glorious energy and vitality density on the concurrently, exceeding the traits of normal supercapacitors. (*KIST1 is the worth calculated by the load of solely PANI, and KIST2 is the worth calculated by the load of the fiber.). Credit score: Korea Institute of Science and Know-how (KIST)
A analysis group has developed a high-performance supercapacitor that’s anticipated to turn into the following technology of vitality storage units. With particulars published within the journal Composites Half B: Engineeringthe expertise developed by the researchers overcomes the restrictions of present supercapacitors by using an progressive fiber construction composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the conductive polymer polyaniline (PANI).
In comparison with typical batteries, supercapacitors supply sooner charging and better energy density, with much less degradation over tens of 1000’s of cost and discharge cycles. Nevertheless, their comparatively low vitality density limits their use over lengthy durations of time, which has restricted their use in sensible purposes equivalent to electric vehicles and drones.
Researchers led by Dr. Bon-Cheol Ku and Dr. Web optimization Gyun Kim of the Carbon Composite Supplies Analysis Middle on the Korea Institute of Science and Know-how (KIST) and Professor Yuanzhe Piao of Seoul Nationwide College (SNU), uniformly chemically bonded single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), that are extremely conductive, with polyaniline (PANI), which is processable and cheap, on the nanoscale.
This creates a classy fiber construction that concurrently enhances the stream of electrons and ions, leading to a supercapacitor that may retailer extra vitality whereas releasing it at a sooner fee.
The developed supercapacitor has been proven to take care of secure efficiency even after greater than 100,000 cost and discharge checks and is sturdy even in high-voltage environments. Thanks to those traits, the expertise could be utilized as a substitute or complement to present battery techniques. In electrical automobiles, for instance, it might present environment friendly energy supply with quick charging to enhance each vary and efficiency.
Different purposes, equivalent to drones and robots, may benefit from elevated operational time and higher reliability. As well as, the developed composite fiber (CNT-PANI) has excessive mechanical flexibility, so it may be rolled and folded, enabling it to be utilized to next-generation digital units equivalent to wearable units.
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To see the commercialization potential of composite fiber capacitors, a mass manufacturing course of was launched. Fiber bundles starting from one-stranded fibers to 300-stranded fibers had been produced by means of the mass manufacturing course of, and it may be seen that the particular capacitance is properly maintained with out lowering as a result of PANI acts as a nanocell inside. Credit score: Korea Institute of Science and Know-how (KIST)
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A schematic of the general course of by which PANI manufactures composite fibers: (from left to proper) forming a liquid crystal section based mostly on carbon nanotubes, spinning it right into a coagulation tub, solidifying it, and stretching it. The ultimate resulted fiber has a construction with a fair distribution of PANI. Credit score: Korea Institute of Science and Know-how (KIST)
One other main achievement of the analysis is the discount of manufacturing prices and the potential for mass manufacturing.
Regardless of their glorious properties, single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been tough to commercialize attributable to their excessive manufacturing prices, however the researchers solved this downside by compounding them with the low-cost conductive polymer polyaniline (PANI).
Moreover, they’ve laid the inspiration for mass production by means of a easy course of, and lately succeeded in creating film-like constructions based mostly on this expertise, additional advancing commercialization. Sooner or later, will probably be utilized as a key enabling expertise for the transition to a carbon-neutral society throughout varied industries, equivalent to electrical automobiles, robots, drones, and wearable units.
“This expertise overcomes the shortcomings of supercapacitors by utilizing single-walled carbon nanotubes and conductive polymers,” indid Dr. Bon-CIST Ku of Ku of KuIST.
“We will continue to develop and industrialize ultra-high-performance carbon fibers based on carbon nanotubes.”
Extra data:
Dongju Lee et al, Nanocell-structured carbon nanotube composite fibers for ultrahigh vitality and energy density supercapacitors, Composites Half B: Engineering (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112179
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Scientists develop next-gen vitality storage applied sciences that allow excessive energy and capability concurrently (2025, Might 9)
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