Energy storage at the micro-/nanoscale
Rolled-up nanotech for lithium energy storage devicesSelf-wound nanomembranes out of functional multilayers are designed to improve lithium storage performance. The intrinsic strain is relaxed by rolling; the composite components are uniformly dispersed; the micro/nanohierarchical structure assumes a mixed ion/electron conduction network; and conventional nanomembrane deposition techniques allow for various material combinations, suitable to meet different demands of lithium ion batteries. This work represents a further step towards extending the broad range of applications possible through rolled-up nanotech.H.-X. Ji et al., Advanced Materials 22, 4591 (2010) URL PDF |
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Self-wound ultra-compact energy storage elementsWe have demonstrated the self-assembly of ultra-compact energy storage devices based on self-wound three-dimensional hybrid organic/inorganic nanomembranes. Such ultra-compact elements exhibit capacitances per footprint area higher than their state-of-the-art planar counterparts and reach specific energies comparable to supercapacitors. The combination of self-assembled organic monolayers with inorganic capacitor materials leads to elements with small footprints, remarkable performance and properties strongly correlated with the organic materials incorporated. Our results represent a breakthrough for local on-chip energy storage and energy supply for autonomous systems at the micro- and nanoscale.C. C. Bof Bufon et al., Nano Letters 10 , 2506 (2010) URL PDF This work was highlighted in: New Scientist Magazine (June 26, 2010) URL smartgrid (June 27, 2010) URL Freie Presse (August 3, 2010) Online Pro-Physik.de (August 4, 2010) URL nanowerk (August 4, 2010) URL Scinexx (August 5, 2010) URL materialgates (August 6, 2010) URL electroniknet.de (August 12, 2010) URL GreenTech Germany (August 17, 2010) URL scienceknowledge.org (September 2, 2010) URL |
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First Swiss roll micro-supercapacitorWinding layers into batteries is an industry-standard to manufacture commercial batteries on the macroscale. On the micro- and nanoscale, however, applying external forces to roll-up layers is not possible any more. Here, we engineer strain in ultra-thin layers by deposition, which causes the layers to wind up automatically upon their release from a substrate. We demonstrate a redox Swiss roll micro-supercapacitor consisting of a self-rolled multilayered nanomembrane with an electrochemical active layer at either the outer or inner surface for different proton diffusion paths. The Swiss roll micro-supercapacitor is ideally suited to achieve high performance (e.g. capacity and life time) in a microscale power source and is helpful for studying charge transfer at the electrolyte/electrode interface.H. X. Ji et al., Chemical Communications 46, 3881 (2010) URL PDF This work was highlighted by Chemical Communications as a “Hot article”. |
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