Manipulating charge carrier interactions at solid electrolyte interfaces for enhanced micro-supercapacitor performance

Abstract

Manipulation of ionic charges in the solid electrolyte interface can result in unprecedented device characteristics for energy conversion and storage applications. An ultrathin gel polymer electrolyte film in a stacked device architecture has been proposed to offer a crucial method for exhibiting the characteristics of electric double layer capacitance (EDLC) at interfaces. A thorough understanding and control of ionic transport channels within the electrode/electrolyte interface are essential for the development of suitable design concepts and the fabrication of micro-scale energy storage devices. A stacked device with nanostructured thin gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) – polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄), and additive lithium sulphate (Li₂SO₄) were studied for micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). The electrochemical properties of supercapacitor devices were studied to confirm how the anions and cations are separated at electrode/electrolyte interfaces utilizing an electromotive force. Significantly, the charge migration and separation of cations and anions at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces were also studied.