The use of fibre reinforced polymer composites for construction of structural supercapacitors: a review

Fibre reinforced polymer plays an important role in many fields, especially in aviation and civil industries where lightweight design is a crucial factor. Over the past two decades, there has been extensive research on the development of multifunctional fibre reinforced composite structures which can fulfil several secondary functions besides its structural role. As a result, structural energy storage composites have been developing rapidly which can sustain electrochemical energy storage as well as structural load-bearing. Among the many structural energy storage composites, structural supercapacitor composites (structural supercapacitors) have attracted the attention of many researchers. This article provides an up-to-date review on the development of structural supercapacitors, which can be integrated into structural fibre reinforced polymeric components. Specifically, an outline is given of the development of carbon fibre fabric based structural supercapacitors, with the focus on various surface activations for performance improvement. Moreover, the recent development in critical components of structural supercapacitors, such as solid electrolytes and separators, is also highlighted. The limitations and challenges for the development of structural supercapacitors are also incorporated. Lastly, the novel fabrication processes and designs for future development are critically discussed. This article will help engineering and scientific communities to gain concise knowledge of structural supercapacitors.