Manipulating charge carrier interactions at solid electrolyte interfaces for enhanced micro-supercapacitor performance†

Manipulation of ionic charges in the solid electrolyte interface can result in unprecedented device characteristics for energy conversion and storage applications. An ultrathin gel polymer electrolyte film in a stacked device architecture has been proposed to offer a crucial method for exhibiting the characteristics of electric double layer capacitance (EDLC) at interfaces. A thorough understanding and control of ionic transport channels within the electrode/electrolyte interface are essential for the development of suitable design concepts and the fabrication of micro-scale energy storage devices. A stacked device with nanostructured thin gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) – polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄), and additive lithium sulphate (Li₂SO₄) were studied for micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). The electrochemical properties of supercapacitor devices were studied to confirm how the anions and cations are separated at electrode/electrolyte interfaces utilizing an electromotive force. Significantly, the charge migration and separation of cations and anions at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces were also studied.