Recent developments, challenges and future prospects of magnetic field effects in supercapacitors

Abstract

To overcome the present-day hurdles in supercapacitor technologies such as poor energy storage capability, a new and innovative approach needs to be implemented. Recently, magnetic field induced electrochemical energy storage performance has opened up new possibilities for supercapacitor research. The noncontact energy provided by the magnetic field can affect the electrochemical performance of a supercapacitor by inducing changes in the electrode and electrolyte at the molecular level. The magnetic field can rearrange the electronic and ionic distribution and accelerate ionic transport at the electrode/electrolyte interface. The magnetic field also can induce structural and morphological changes during electrode fabrication, which has a significant impact on their electrochemical activity. However, a comprehensive understanding of this field is yet to be achieved due to the lack of exposure and research interest. The primary goal of this review is to advance the research in this field and attract more interdisciplinary researchers to pursue this new paradigm in electrochemical energy storage. This review provided some of the recent advancements in magnetic field induced supercapacitors and analyzed them in detail based on the energy storage mechanism of the electrode material. We also reviewed the magnetic field employed electrode fabrication for supercapacitors. Along with that, a brief understanding of the fundamental mechanisms behind supercapacitor technologies and magnetoelectric effects was also discussed to provide the theoretical background. Furthermore, the current challenges in this field and the future prospects of magnetic field effects in supercapacitors were also enclosed in this review. This review is expected to serve as a doorway for many interdisciplinary research studies to tap into the full potential of magnetic field assisted electrochemical performance of supercapacitors.