Effect of Degree of Cure on Sandwich Structural Capacitor Using Ion-Conductive Polymer with Carbon Fabric Skins

Structural capacitors are composite structures that function as energy storage capacitors. An electric double-layer capacitor with a composite structure using a solid polymer electrolyte matrix with a glass fiber fabric separator has recently been developed. In the present study, new foam core sandwich structure is adopted and the effect of the degree of cure is experimentally investigated. Carbon fiber fabric cloth is used as electrodes, and the polystyrene foam core is used as separator. Material system of Poly Ethylene Glycol DiGlycidyl Ether (PEGDGE) with Lithium bisTriFluoromethane Sulfonyl Imide (LiTFSI) and hardener of TriEthylene TetrAmine (TETA) is adopted as ion-conductive polymer matrix. The effect of the cure degree is experimentally investigated by using 100% cure degree, 70% cure degree and 0% cure degree specimens. As a result, the polystyrene foam-core sandwich system is proved to be effective, but the capacitance is not enough because of the lack of surface area of the carbon fiber electrodes. As the remained TETA impedes the movement of Li+ cation in the solid polymer by means of the segment-motion-assisted diffusion process, the low degree of cure causes small capacitance with this material system.