Ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) as a flexible capacitor: an experimental study

Abstract In recent years, significant research has been directed towards the development of energy storage devices that are thin, lightweight, and flexible, catering to the diverse demands of modern smart electronics. This study investigates the remarkable adaptability of ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) capacitors when subjected to bending conditions. Under investigation was the capacitor’s functionality within a broad spectrum of bending angles, ranging from 0 <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msup> <mml:mrow/> <mml:mo>∘</mml:mo> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> to 100 <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msup> <mml:mrow/> <mml:mo>∘</mml:mo> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> . The study aims to reveal the capacitor’s response and stability across this expansive curvature range, providing insights into its potential applications in flexible and dynamic systems. The flexibility of the supercapacitor allows it to bend or fold up to <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msup> <mml:mn>180</mml:mn> <mml:mo>∘</mml:mo> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> without experiencing permanent mechanical deformation. The calculated specific capacitance values obtained by bending the cell at angles of 0, 40, 70, and 100 <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msup> <mml:mrow/> <mml:mo>∘</mml:mo> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> are found to be 4.3, 6.4, 8.2, and 8.4 mF g −1 respectively. The result displayed the IPMC capacitor exhibited notable resilience under varying bending angles, affirming its capacity to maintain operational integrity despite significant mechanical stress. Through a systematic exploration of bending conditions, this research unveils the capacitor’s ability to flexibly conform to various bending angles. This adaptability is particularly significant for applications where traditional rigid capacitors may be impractical or inefficient.