This paper reviews the development of structural capacitors, including structural dielectric capacitors and structural supercapacitors, and provides the first enunciation of their engineering design and applications.
Due to the strong effect of the composite fabrication method on the structural capacitor performance, the structure development should be performed with the involvement of composite engineers. Structural development should be conducted with inclusion of the electrical contacts in the overall design.
Structural capacitors are structural materials (commonly polymer-matrix structural composites) that have been modified in order to render the capacitor function for the purpose of electrical energy storage. They are a type of multifunctional structural material.
Are dielectric structural capacitors better than structural supercapacitors?
Since service life and safety are essential for structural capacitors, dielectric structural capacitors are more promising than structural supercapacitors, in spite of the fact that the capacity for small-scale energy storage tends to be greater for a supercapacitor than a dielectric capacitor.
For a structural supercapacitor, the dielectric film (known as a separator) should be an ionic conductor and an electronic insulator. The design of a structural capacitor should include consideration of the capacitance of the interface between the dielectric film and electrode.
What are cement-based structural supercapacitors (CSSC)?
Cement-based structural supercapacitors (CSSC) are a novel energy storage component that combines electrical energy storage with structural load-bearing capabilities, offering the potential to replace traditional building components and enabling large-scale energy storage at the building level.
Do structural supercapacitors have high specific capacitance?
Structural supercapacitors (SSCs) have high specific capacitance combined with mechanical strength. This review explores high-performance SSC component fabrication with improved mechanical and electrochemical properties. Importance of fabrication, standard tests for optimizing SSC performance in structural applications emphasized.