Dielectica traverses through the literature on this topic – and summarizes as they appear.
Correspondence prepared by: Sourabh Pal, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, email: sourabhelt92@gmail.com (18:01:2021 and 14:00)
Key Words: supercapacitor, graphene, nanogenerator, nanosheets
India: An emerging new field of research that combines the strengths and capabilities of electronics and textiles into one is wearable electronics, opening new opportunities for electronic industry. It is also known as smart fabrics, which not only constitute wearable capabilities like any other garment, but also have local monitoring, computation and as well as wireless communication potentials. Technology is indeed the main catalyst that can swiftly transform health care and the practice of medicine. So, any technology which can minimize the loss of human life and enhance the quality of life has undoubtedly a priceless value. In this aspect, the wearable electronics fulfills the dual roles of being a flexible information infrastructure that will facilitate the prototype of universal computing and a system for monitoring the vital signs of individuals in an efficient and cost-effective manner with a widespread interface of clothing. Wearable technology has already been offering versatile applications for consumers, emergency services and military users. Currently, the wearable technology companies and developers are now looking for novel ideas and conceptions to come up with advanced wearable devices that can serve the needful to the consumers.
However, the traditional wearable electronic devices require external power sources for powering. In this context, the main shortcoming lies in the low power density and limited stretchability of the external power sources. Hence, as a savior, micro-supercapacitors are the ideal energy storage devices that can be an excellent replacement of conventional batteries in wearable platform. Typical micro-supercapacitors usually demonstrates a sandwich-like stacked geometry that exhibits poor flexibility, long ion diffusion distances and a complex integration process when combined with wearable electronics. To overcome this ambiguity, in 2020, a research team of Penn State, Minjiang University and Nanjing University has explored an alternative device configuration and integration techniques to provide an advancement of micro-supercapacitors in wearable electronic applications [1]. Prof. Cheng and his team have utilized 3D laser-induced graphene foam and non-layered, ultrathin zinc-phosphorus nanosheets to construct the island-bridge type design of the micro-supercapacitor cells, leading to drastic improvements in electric conductivity and the number of absorbed charged ions. This offers the essential confirmation that these unique micro-supercapacitor arrays can charge and discharge efficiently and can store the energy needed to power a wearable device simultaneously. The researchers have also successfully integrated this system with a triboelectric nanogenerator, an emerging energy harvester that converts external mechanical energy to electrical one. Hence, this wireless charging element which can efficiently harvest energy from everyday human motion, unquestionably paves a new horizon towards high-performance stretchable and wearable electronic systems..
Sources:
[1] C. Zhnag et. al. Nano Energy, 81, 105609 (2021).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211285520311824