Structural supercapacitor usable in a mechanical structure
According to the invention there is provided a component including a supercapacitor and a method of producing same. The component comprises a first ( 12 ) and second ( 14 ) electrode and a separator structure ( 16 ) which separates the two electrodes and contains a liquid or gel electrolyte. The first and second electrode structures are each formed from a composite material ( 10 ) which includes electrically conductive fibers and electrochemically active material in a binder matrix and the supercapacitor is formed to be structurally inseparable from the rest of the component. Further, the component forms a structural capacitor. The obtained structural capacitor could be used in aircraft structure to save weight.
1. A component comprising a structural supercapacitor included in said component, the structural supercapacitor including:
a first electrode structure;
a second electrode structure; and
a separator structure;
said separator structure being formed from a composite material comprising a glass fibre ply in a cured electrically insulating separator binder matrix;
said separator structure separating the first electrode structure from the second electrode structure;
said separator structure further comprising at least one void which comprises a fluidic electrolyte;
each of the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure comprising at least one ply of conductive composite material which includes electrically conductive fibres in a cured, electrically insulating electrode binder matrix; and
the supercapacitor being structurally inseparable from a remainder of the component.
2. The component according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one void is formed from interstices of a separator structure that is partially bonded to the first electrode structure or the second electrode structure.
3. The component according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode structure, the second electrode structure, and the separator structure comprises a porous additive which increases access of the electrolyte into said structure.
4. The component according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure further includes an electrically conductive additive.
5. The component according to claim 1 , wherein:
the electrically insulating binder matrix is a polymer, ceramic, or glass.
6. The component according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises and is electrically connected to a further at least one electrically conductive fibre ply.
7. The component according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the electrically conductive fibre plies is a carbon fibre ply.
8. The component according to claim 1 , wherein the separator structure comprises a microporous polymer film.
9. The component according to claim 1 , wherein the separator structure includes an electrically insulating binder matrix material that is a viscosity modified curable resin.
10. The component of claim 1 , wherein the separator binder matrix and the electrode binder matrix form a common binder matrix.
11. A panel on a vehicle, vessel, or craft comprising at least one component, said component including a structural supercapacitor including:
a first electrode structure;
a second electrode structure; and
a separator structure;
said separator structure being formed from a composite material comprising a glass fibre ply in a cured electrically insulating separator binder matrix;
said separator structure separating the first electrode structure from the second electrode structure;
said separator structure further comprising at least one void which comprises a fluidic electrolyte;
each of the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure comprising at least one ply of conductive composite material which includes electrically conductive fibres in a cured, electrically insulating electrode binder matrix; and
the supercapacitor being structurally inseparable from the rest of the component.
12. The panel of claim 11 , wherein the separator binder matrix and the electrode binder matrix form a common binder matrix.
13. A method of manufacturing a component including, and being structurally inseparable from, a supercapacitor, the method comprising:
providing a separator structure comprising fibrous reinforcing material and plastic matrix material;
laying up, on either side of the separator structure, a layup of plies of electrically conductive fibrous reinforcing material;
introducing an electrode binder matrix into said plies, thereby forming first and second electrodes that are separated from each other by the separator structure; and
consolidating and curing the first electrode, second electrode and separator structure into a single composite component;
said separator structure, after curing, further comprising at least one void that is able to accommodate a liquid electrolyte.
14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising inserting a liquid or gel electrolyte into said at least one void.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein curing the first electrode, second electrode and separator structure into a single composite component includes forming a common binder matrix from the plastic binder material and the electrode binder matrix.