Recent advances on fiber-reinforced multifunctional composites for structural supercapacitors

Abstract Engineering the conventional electrode designs as well as exploring prospective materials and prominent electrolytes, all of which are critically required to tackle the fundamental limitations associated with the current sustainable energy technologies. Structural supercapacitors (SSCs) have recently emerged as next-generation energy storage and conversion devices by virtue of their abilities to store the electrochemical energy whilst sustain high mechanical loads simultaneously. Composite materials as well as electrolytes with multifunctional characteristics, especially outstanding electrical/ionic conductivities and high mechanical robustness represent the key requirements to realize such exemplary multifunctional devices. In this review, we provide an overview, structural design, and the recent progress of the SSCs devices enabled by various carbon fiber-reinforced composites electrodes. Special emphases are given to the assessment on the significance of solid polymer electrolytes and their composites in SSCs. Finally, we conclude with feasible applications of the SSCs and outline the challenges that still need to be addressed for deploying high-performance SSCs for practical applications.