A Study on Supercapacitors with Mechanical Metamaterial Electrodes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K14701
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 20020:Robotics and intelligent system-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Shunsuke 東北大学, 工学研究科, 助教 (50811634)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: メカニカルメタマテリアル / スーパーキャパシタ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Three-dimensional (3D) electrodes which possess flexibility and large surface area are fabricated, embodied by mechanical metamaterials. The mechanical metamaterials render solid bulk materials flexible by mechanical design, and the 3D electrodes enable us to develop flexible supercapacitors with large energy density for wearable devices. We successfully fabricated and evaluated supercapacitors with 3D electrodes. Capacitance of the supercapacitors are boosted by nano-porous structures on the surfaces of the 3D electrodes. The supercapacitors are able to installed on arbitrary surfaces, for example human and mammal skins, and pipes, and the 3D electrodes can realize electrochemical devices which has good mechanical and electrochemical properties in the future.

Free Research Field

MEMS

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、柔軟性と大きな静電容量をもつスーパーキャパシタを実現できた。これにより、ウェラブルデバイスや貼付け型デバイスなど、柔軟性が求められる素子を機械構造により柔軟にすることができる。本研究の延長には、貼り付け型デバイスに搭載されたセンサによる、きめ細やかなヘルスケアの実現と安心安全な社会の実現が期待できる。