2024 | Keon-Woo Kim, Seong Ju Park, Su-Jeong Park, Inae Kim, Bomi Park, Se Hyun Kim, Unyong Jeong, Jin Kon Kim, Chanwoo Yang
This study presents the fabrication of deformable micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) using laser ablation patterning of graphene and liquid metal (EGaIn). The well-defined interdigitated electrode pattern with controlled gap size is achieved through laser ablation, which selectively removes graphene and EGaIn while maintaining the flexibility of the SEBS substrate. By optimizing the gap size and mass loading of graphene, the fabricated MSCs exhibit a high areal capacitance of 1336 μF cm⁻² and reliable rate performance. The MSCs retain 90% of their original capacitance after 1000 cycles of repetitive folding and 20% stretching. The feasibility of MSCs as a deformable power source is demonstrated by integrating them with commercial light-emitting diodes (LEDs), showing stable operation under various mechanical deformations such as stretching, folding, twisting, and wrinkling. The study also explores the miniaturization of MSCs and the potential for further improvement in stretchability using mechanically durable ion gels.This study presents the fabrication of deformable micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) using laser ablation patterning of graphene and liquid metal (EGaIn). The well-defined interdigitated electrode pattern with controlled gap size is achieved through laser ablation, which selectively removes graphene and EGaIn while maintaining the flexibility of the SEBS substrate. By optimizing the gap size and mass loading of graphene, the fabricated MSCs exhibit a high areal capacitance of 1336 μF cm⁻² and reliable rate performance. The MSCs retain 90% of their original capacitance after 1000 cycles of repetitive folding and 20% stretching. The feasibility of MSCs as a deformable power source is demonstrated by integrating them with commercial light-emitting diodes (LEDs), showing stable operation under various mechanical deformations such as stretching, folding, twisting, and wrinkling. The study also explores the miniaturization of MSCs and the potential for further improvement in stretchability using mechanically durable ion gels.