Summary of TINY MICROSUPERCAPACITOR THAT COULD POWER FUTURE WEARABLES
A UNIST research team developed an ultra-dense, printable micro-supercapacitor (MSC) using electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing, enabling fabrication of solid-state MSCs directly on chips. Their MSCs reach 54.9 unit cells per cm2 and an output of 65.9 V in that area, offering a compact power source for wearables and IoT devices by overcoming prior manufacturing and scaling limitations.
Parts used in the Micro-supercapacitor Project:
- Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printer
- Electrode materials (used for printing)
- Electrolyte (used for printing)
- Substrate/chip for direct on-chip fabrication
- Materials for solid-state MSC assembly
A group of researchers from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea, have designed a really tiny and ultra-dense Micro-supercapacitor that can be printed directly into circuits.
Microsupercapacitors (MSCs) have garnered considerable attention as a promising power source for microelectronics and miniaturized portable/wearable devices. However, their practical application has been hindered by the manufacturing complexity and dimensional limits.
the team explains in the abstract of the paper.
The Micro-supercapacitor, as tiny as it is (roughly the width of a human fingerprint), is being positioned as the next big thing in the world of IoT — it could power both future wearables and embedded IoT devices.
The team from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering was able to conduct a study, the first of its kind that exploits electrohydrodynamic jet printing in the micro-supercapacitors. They fabricated a new class of ultra-high areal number density solid-state MSCs directly on a chip via EHD jet printing. EHD jet printing is a high-resolution patterning technique that uses the electrode and electrolyte for printing purposes. It is similar to conventional inkjet printing but it can control printed liquid with an electric field.
And the results?
We were able to produce up to 54.9 unit cells per square centimeter (cm2) via electro-hydrodynamic jet printing technique, and thus the output of 65.9 volts (V) was achieved in the same area,” the first author of the project, Kwonhyung Lee, explains.
Read more: TINY MICROSUPERCAPACITOR THAT COULD POWER FUTURE WEARABLES
- What printing technique did the researchers use to fabricate the micro-supercapacitors?
They used electrohydrodynamic jet printing. - Can the micro-supercapacitors be printed directly onto chips?
Yes, the team fabricated solid-state MSCs directly on a chip via EHD jet printing. - How dense are the fabricated micro-supercapacitors?
The researchers produced up to 54.9 unit cells per square centimeter. - What output voltage was achieved within the reported area?
An output of 65.9 volts was achieved in the same area. - Why is EHD jet printing used instead of conventional inkjet printing?
EHD jet printing controls printed liquid with an electric field, enabling higher-resolution patterning using electrode and electrolyte for printing. - What applications are targeted for these micro-supercapacitors?
They are positioned to power future wearables and embedded IoT devices. - What problem does this research address about MSCs?
It addresses manufacturing complexity and dimensional limits that hinder practical application of MSCs.
