Highly transparent supercapacitor based on web-like silver nanowire film electrodes

Abstract

With the advent of advanced optoelectronic devices such as smart windows and solar cells, transparent supercapacitors (TSCs) have garnered attention as efficient energy storage solutions. However, balancing high transparency and energy storage performance remains a critical challenge. Various transparent electrode designs, such as randomly distributed metal nanowire networks and mesh-type structures with open spaces, have been explored to address this issue. While the open space structures effectively balance optical and electrochemical performance, their fabrication often relies on expensive and complex methods, thereby limiting scalability. This study proposes an effective fabrication method for TSCs using the meniscus dragging deposition technique. Web-structured silver nanowire (AgNW) transparent electrodes with large open spaces were created by leveraging dewetting-induced self-assembly, thereby achieving high optical transparency (90.4% at 550 nm) while simplifying the manufacturing process. Gold enhancement was applied to the AgNW network to enhance its electrical stability, thereby preventing oxidation and improving durability. Subsequently, MnO₂ was electrodeposited as the active material, demonstrating tunable specific capacitances ranging from 591.4 F g⁻¹ at 5 μg cm⁻² to 284.8 F g⁻¹ at 60 μg cm⁻². The fabricated TSCs retained over 90% of their initial performance after 5000 charge–discharge cycles in both liquid and gel electrolytes, highlighting their potential for scalable, high-performance energy storage applications.