Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2022 - 31

Tin Electrode Amplifies Supercapacitors
The material improves connectivity while maintaining recyclability and low cost.
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
H
igh-capacity, fast-charging supercapacitor
energy storage devices have
been limited by the composition of their
electrodes - the connections responsible
for managing the flow of electrons during
charging and dispensing energy. Researchers
have now developed a better material
to improve connectivity while maintaining
recyclability and low cost.
The team explored the connections in
a micro-supercapacitor, which they use in
their small, wearable sensors to monitor
vital signs and more. Cobalt oxide - an
abundant, inexpensive material that has a
theoretically high capacity to quickly transfer
energy charges - typically makes up
the electrodes. However, the materials that
mix with cobalt oxide to make an electrode
can react poorly, resulting in a much lower
energy capacity than theoretically possible.
The researchers ran simulations of materials
from an atomic library to see if adding
another material - also called doping -
could amplify the desired characteristics of
cobalt oxide as an electrode by providing
extra electrons while minimizing, or enResearchers
doped cobalt oxide with tin to create a more efficient electrode for use in supercapacitors.
This microscopic image shows the new material on graphene film. (Photo: Jia Zhu/Penn State)
tirely removing, the negative effects. They
modeled various material species and levels
to see how they would interact with cobalt
oxide. Many of the possible materials were
too expensive or toxic, so the team selected
tin, which is widely available at a low cost
and is not harmful to the environment.
In the simulations, the researchers
found that by partially substituting some of
the cobalt for tin and binding the material
to a commercially available graphene film
- a single-atom thick material that supports
electronic materials without changing
their properties - they could fabricate
a low-cost, easy-to-develop electrode.
Once the simulations were completed,
the team conducted experiments to see if
the simulation could be actualized.
The experimental results verified a significantly
increased conductivity of the cobalt
oxide structure after partial substitution
by tin. The developed device is expected to
have promising practical applications as
the next-generation energy storage device.
Next, the team plans to use their own
version of graphene film - a porous foam
created by partially cutting and then breaking
the material with lasers - to fabricate
a flexible capacitor to allow for easy and
fast conductivity. The supercapacitor is one
key component. The team is also interested
in combining with other mechanisms to
serve as an energy harvester and a sensor.
For more information, contact Megan
Lak atos at mkl5024@psu.edu; 814-865-5544.
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