Unveiling the Multifunctional Carbon Fibre Structural Battery

Title	Unveiling the Multifunctional Carbon Fibre Structural Battery
Authors	Richa Chaudhary, Johanna Xu, Zhenyuan Xia, Leif E. Asp
Magazine	Advanced Materials
Date	09/10/2024
DOI	10.1002/adma.202409725
Introduction	Structural batteries represent innovative multifunctional devices designed to simultaneously store electrical energy and withstand mechanical loads. Carbon fibres are a highly suitable material for this application, fulfilling a dual role by contributing to energy storage and imparting essential stiffness and strength to the battery structure. Prior research established the viability of functional positive electrodes when coupled with metallic lithium within a structural battery electrolyte. This work introduces an all-carbon fibre-based structural battery system. It employs pristine carbon fibre as the negative electrode, lithium iron phosphate (LFP)-coated carbon fibre as the positive electrode, and incorporates a thin cellulose separator. All these elements are integrated within a structural battery electrolyte and subsequently cured to achieve a rigid battery structure. The application of a thin separator significantly improves the structural battery's energy density. This composite structural battery exhibits an energy density of 30 Wh kg−1 and maintains cyclic stability for up to 1 000 cycles with approximately 100% Coulombic efficiency. Notably, the elastic modulus of this all-fibre structural battery surpasses 76 GPa when tested parallel to the fibre direction, setting a new benchmark in reported literature. Such structural batteries hold substantial potential for integration into electric vehicles, allowing for the replacement of traditional structural components, thereby decreasing the reliance on conventional batteries and contributing to considerable mass reduction in future electric vehicle designs.
Quote	Richa Chaudhary, Johanna Xu and Zhenyuan Xia et al. Unveiling the Multifunctional Carbon Fibre Structural Battery. Adv. Mater.. 2024. DOI: 10.1002/adma.202409725
Element	Carbon (C) , Lithium (Li) , Phosphorus (P) , Oxygen (O)
Industry	Automotive , Energy Storage & Batteries