Bioscience (Nanotechnology): USRA Researchers Develop Electrolyte Material Suitable for Printed Super-capacitor

February 2021

USRA’s Nanotechnology team has worked to protect the printed supercapacitors. The printed electronics have received even more prominent attention recently with the emerging printing technology to meet the demands of Internet of Things and flexible/wearable devices. While printable active layers have been widely studied, “printable” electrolytes have not been thoroughly investigated. Printable material exploration is thus the first critical step in ensuring sustained performance.The team consisting of Jin-Woo Han, Ph.D., Senior Scientist (USRA), Myeong-Lok Seol, Ph.D., Associate Scientist (USRA), and NAMS intern Ellie Sadatian (UCSD grad student) have solved this issue by developing a graphene-Mn3O4 nanocomposite-based pseudocapacitor electrodes. Printing protocol for reliable fabrication is presented and he electrochemical performance of the tested formulations was verified.
 
The results were published in a recent issue of the journal Materials (vol. 14, pp. 316, 2021). This work was sponsored by the NASA’s In Space Manufacturing Program, which strives to print various components and devices such as sensors, antennas, batteries, super-capacitors, energy generation devices and others in the future in the Space Station.