The good, the bad and the porous: A review of carbonaceous materials for flexible supercapacitor applications

Abstract

The integration of electronics into textiles offers unique and promising opportunities for wearable technologies. Already, the integration of energy harvesters (from ferroelectric to photovoltaic) and sensors have been widely demonstrated in medical and defense applications. However, the problem of reliable power management has not been as readily solved. With high power densities, fast charge–discharge rates and long lifetimes, flexible supercapacitors are seen as a promising energy storage technology for future e-textiles. The design possibilities for these devices are complex and varied, with a myriad of materials and configurations possible. This work will introduce and critique the current state-of-the-art electrode materials for flexible supercapacitors. The use of carbon within electric double-layer supercapacitors and pseudocapacitors will be discussed. It is envisaged that this paper will provide an overview to the current challenges in the field of flexible supercapacitors, and highlight the future possibilities of carbon as an electrode material; providing a useful guide to those new to the field, or as an up-to-date reference material for the more experienced researcher.

Keywords

• Wearable technology
• Energy storage
• Supercapacitors
• Carbon