3D architecture electrodes for energy storage applications

Micro-scale energy storage devices have been developed for the demand of required energy autonomy of the portable and small-scale electronics. One main drawback in realization of micro-scale energy storage devices is limited areal capacitance due to low material loading per unit area on the substrate. 3-D electrodes with high aspect ratio could be promising strategy to overcome this, resulting in higher device performance. Specially, 3D printing technology offers numerous advantages to generate 3D electrodes for energy storage devices, which includes time-saving, cost-effective manufacturing, and realization of tailorable complex electrode designs. In this thesis, novel hierarchical 3D designs were printed by photo-curable 3D printing. Photo-curable resins with conductive fillers were optimized for conductive 3D electrode formation. Finally, energy storage devices with the hierarchical 3D electrodes have been demonstrated for the application of micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). The fabricated 3D hierarchical electrodes demonstrated low electrical resistance to be used as feasible MSCs electrodes. Energy storage from redox reactions was demonstrated in 3D architecture electrodes designed with mechanically durable 3D octet trusses.