Apparatus and associated methods
An apparatus including an open interconnected wall structure having one or more pores, the open interconnected wall structure including a first electrode material, the pores including an electrolyte and a second electrode material, wherein the electrolyte and second electrode material are supported on the first electrode material within the pores such that the first electrode material is separated from the second electrode material by the electrolyte to enable the generation and/or storage of electrical energy using the apparatus.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a substrate comprising an open interconnected wall structure of electrically conductive material having two or more pores that define two or more cells;
a battery structure defined by a first of the two or more cells, the battery structure comprising:
a first active material in a first of the two or more pores and comprising a first electrode material supported by the open interconnected wall structure;
an electrolyte on the first electrode material; and
a second active material comprising a second electrode material on the electrolyte in the first of the two or more pores; and
a capacitor structure defined by a second of the two or more cells, the capacitor structure comprising:
the first active material in a second of the two or more pores and comprising the first electrode material supported by the open interconnected wall structure;
the electrolyte on the first electrode material; and
the second active material comprising a different second electrode material on the electrolyte in the second of the two or more pores;
wherein the electrolyte and each of the second electrode materials are supported on the first electrode material within the pores such that the first electrode material is separated from each of the second electrode materials by the electrolyte to enable the generation of electrical energy from the first of the two or more pores defining the first of the two or more cells and the storage of electrical energy at the second of the two or more pores defining the second of the two or more cells during use of the apparatus;
wherein the first and second electrode materials each comprise the first and the second active materials respectively, at least one of the active materials comprising an electrically insulating lithium-based compound configured for use in generating and/or storing electrons; and
wherein the open interconnected wall structure is configured to act as a charge collector for the generated and/or stored electrons through which an electrical path for the electrons is provided.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte forms a coating on the open interconnected wall structure and the second electrode material substantially fills the remaining volume of the pores.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second electrode material comprises a charge collection material, and wherein the active material is in physical contact with the charge collection material.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode material forms the open interconnected wall structure.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the open interconnected wall structure comprises a substrate on which the first electrode material is supported.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one of some or all of the pores are interconnecting, some or all of the pores form through channels within the open interconnected wall structure, some or all of the pores form blind channels within the open interconnected wall structure, some of all of the pores are arranged periodically, and some or all of the pores have a diameter of between 2 nm and 50 nm inclusive.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode material, electrolyte and/or second electrode material within one pore is different from the first electrode material, electrolyte and/or second electrode material within another pore.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of the open interconnected wall structures electrically connected to one another.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first electrode material, electrolyte and/or second electrode material of one open interconnected wall structure is different from the first electrode material, electrolyte and/or second electrode material of another open interconnected wall structure.
10. A device comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the device is one or more of an electronic device, a portable electronic device, a portable telecommunications device, and a module for any of the aforementioned devices.
12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the device comprises a solar cell configured to convert energy from electromagnetic radiation incident upon the solar cell into electrical energy, and wherein the apparatus is configured to store said electrical energy.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the open interconnected wall structure has a gyroid structure defined by a configuration of spherical particles that form a lattice and wherein the gyroid structure is trigonometrically approximated by the equation cos·x sin y+cos y·sin z+cos z·sin x=0.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the gyroid structure comprises a cubic bicontinuous double gyroid phase of poly(4-fluorostyrene)-b-poly(D,L-lactide).
15. The apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the first electrode material is lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, or lithium manganese oxide;
wherein the second electrode material in the first of the two or more pores is graphite;
wherein the different second electrode material in the second of the two or more pores is activated carbon; and
wherein the electrolyte is a lithium salt.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the gyroid structure comprises a block copolymer comprising polyfluorostyrene and a polylactide.