Through a partnership with Drexel’s Center for Functional Fabrics, a team in the Drexel Nanomaterials Institute has designed a textile-based supercapacitor that could be integrated into clothing and charge in minutes. Published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, their MXene supercapacitor patch can power electronics like Arduino microcontrollers that collect and transmit data.
Most e-textiles rely on rigid batteries, but this MXene textile energy storage solution is flexible and wearable. In tests, the supercapacitor powered a temperature sensor and wireless communication for nearly two hours. The Drexel team says this development significantly advances wearable technology by creating a seamlessly integrated power source for smart fabrics.
“This is a significant development for wearable technology,” said Yury Gogotsi, PhD. “To fully integrate technology into fabric, we must also be able to seamlessly integrate its power source — our discovery shows the path forward for textile energy storage devices.”
With further development, MXene supercapacitors could support motion trackers, biomedical monitors and other flexible electronics in clothing and gear.