Beyond structural; multifunctional composites that store electrical energy

智能结构，其中单功能设备（例如传感器，致动器或电池）和结构材料夹在一起，可以为工程问题提供优雅的技术解决方案。然而，它们提供有限的空间和重量节省：最终它们的效率由设备和周围结构之间的接口控制。一个完全不同的概念是，结构材料本身的成分（即纤维和基质）是多功能的，协同作用，以提供真正的多功能材料，固有地同时执行两个（或更多个）功能。该提案的重点是结构超级电容器，其中材料提供两种不同的功能：机械承载和电能存储。这些设备在最大限度地减少系统重量和体积方面具有重要的性能优势，并为创新设计提供了机会。值得注意的是，储能装置和聚合物复合材料之间存在几种协同作用：这种材料的层压结构反映了超级电容器中的电极配置。此外，两种器械均使用了注入聚合物基质/电解质的碳基增强材料/电极。这种相似之处为将这两个完全不同的领域结合起来开发结构动力材料提供了强大的动力。超级电容器由两个高表面积电极、电解质和隔膜组成：电荷在电解质/电极界面可逆地收集。它们的性能使它们可用作高功率电源，当与电池结合使用时，可延长电动汽车电源的寿命。对于结构超级电容器，有两个多功能组件：结构增强/电极和结构隔膜/电解质。通过我们在这一领域的研究，我们已经确定了结构超级电容器的三个关键挑战：我们将在本提案中解决这些问题。我们将显著提高这些设备可以存储多少电能（即能量密度），它们可以多快地充电或放电（即功率密度）以及它们的机械性能。为了提高能量密度，我们将开发具有更大表面积和电化学活性的增强材料/电极。同时，我们将配制刚性和坚固的基质/电解质，从而提供增强的机械性能，但具有更大的离子电导率，因此具有更大的功率密度。在将最好的成分聚集在一起形成多功能复合材料的过程中，我们将利用在我们以前的工作中开发的现有架构，并开发新的架构。该项目将通过制造和测试行业灵感的组件来展示最好的设备。一旦成熟，这类多功能结构储能材料将对航空航天、汽车和便携式电子等应用产生巨大影响。例如，想象一下未来没有电池的平板电脑，其中电能存储在外壳材料中。以电动汽车为例，它的引擎盖、车门和车顶储存了所有的能量来驱动车辆。满足这样的野心将对未来的工程结构产生深远的影响，并将激励其他人在这个令人兴奋的领域工作。

Smart structures, in which monofunctional devices (e.g. sensors, actuators or batteries) and structural materials are sandwiched together, can provide elegant technical solutions to engineering problems. However, they offer limited space and weight savings: ultimately their efficiency is controlled by the interfaces between the device and the surrounding structure. A radically different concept is one in which the constituents (i.e. fibres and matrices) of the structural material themselves are multifunctional, acting in synergy to give truly multifunctional materials which inherently perform two (or more) functions simultaneously. This proposal focuses on structural supercapacitors, in which the material provides two disparate functions: mechanical load bearing and electrical energy storage. Such devices offer important performance advantages in minimising system weight and volume, and present opportunities for innovative design. It is notable that there are several synergies between energy storage devices and polymer composites: the laminated architecture of such materials mirrors the electrode configuration in supercapacitors. Furthermore, both devices use carbon based reinforcements/electrodes infused with a polymeric matrix/electrolyte. Such parallels provide a strong motivation for wedding these two disparate fields to develop structural power materials. Supercapacitors consist of two high surface area electrodes, an electrolyte and a separator: charge is collected reversibly at the electrolyte/electrode interfaces. Their performance makes them useful as high power sources and, when used in conjunction with batteries, life extension for power sources for electric vehicles. For structural supercapacitors, there are two multifunctional components: a structural reinforcement/electrode, and a structural separator/electrolyte. Through our research in this field we have identified three critical challenges for structural supercapacitors: we will address these in this proposal. We will significantly improve how much electrical energy these devices can store (i.e. energy density), how quickly they can be charged or discharged (i.e. power density) and their mechanical performance. To improve energy density, we will develop reinforcements/electrodes with increased surface areas and electrochemical activity. In parallel, we will formulate matrices/electrolytes which are stiff and robust, thus giving enhanced mechanical performance, but with greater ionic conductivity, and hence power densities. In bringing the best constituents together to form multifunctional composites, we will exploit both existing architectures, developed in our previous work, and develop new ones. The project will culminate in demonstration of the best devices through fabrication and testing of industry inspired components. Once mature, this class of multifunctional structural energy storage materials will have a huge impact on applications such as aerospace, automotive and portable electronics. For instance, imagine future tablet computers with no batteries, in which the electrical energy is stored in the casing material. Consider electric cars, in which the bonnet, doors and roof store all the energy to power the vehicle. Meeting such ambitions will have a profound effect on future engineering structures and will inspire others to work in this exciting field.