Synergy of W18O49 and polyaniline for smart supercapacitor electrode integrated with energy level indicating functionality.

Abstract

Supercapacitors are important energy storage technologies in fields such as fuel-efficient transport and renewable energy. State-of-the-art supercapacitors are capable of supplanting conventional batteries in real applications, and supercapacitors with novel features and functionalities have been sought for years. Herein, we report the realization of a new concept, a smart supercapacitor, which functions as a normal supercapacitor in energy storage and also communicates the level of stored energy through multiple-stage pattern indications integrated into the device. The metal-oxide W18O49 and polyaniline constitute the pattern and background, respectively. Both materials possess excellent electrochemical and electrochromic behaviors and operate in different potential windows, -0.5-0 V (W18O49) and 0-0.8 V (polyaniline). The intricate cooperation of the two materials enables the supercapacitor to work in a widened, 1.3 V window while displaying variations in color schemes depending on the level of energy storage. We believe that our success in integrating this new functionality into a supercapacitor may open the door to significant opportunities in the development of future supercapacitors with imaginative and humanization features.