Researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed a 3D printing method that simplifies and speeds up the fabrication of micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) with nanoscale features.
Published in ACS Nano, this study outlines how the team successfully 3D printed hierarchical structures made of inorganic silicon-rich glass featuring self-organizing nanostructures. This development could lead to more compact and energy-efficient portable devices, including self-sustaining sensors, wearable electronics, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
Led by KTH Professor Frank Niklaus and co-authored by Po-Han Huang, this research addresses two significant challenges in micro-supercapacitor development: maximizing the surface area of the electrodes and facilitating rapid ion transport.
According to the team, the performance of MSCs is largely determined by their electrodes, which store and conduct electrical energy. By increasing the surface area and optimizing ion transport channels, the team’s innovation could enable improved energy storage solutions for modern devices.
“Our findings represent a significant leap forward in microfabrication, with broad implications for the development of high-performance energy storage devices,” Huang says. “Beyond MSCs, our approach has exciting potential applications in fields such as optical communication, nanoelectromechanical sensors, and 5D optical data storage.”
3D printing micro-supercapacitors
Key to this development lies in the use of femtosecond laser pulses, which induce two simultaneous reactions in hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ), a glass-like precursor material.
One reaction results in the formation of self-organized nanoplates, while the second converts the precursor into silicon-rich glass, the foundation for the 3D printing process. This approach allows for the rapid and precise fabrication of electrodes with open channels, significantly increasing the surface area and speeding up ion transport.
Through this method, the researchers demonstrated the ability to 3D print micro-supercapacitors that perform well, even when charged and discharged at high speeds. These MSCs exhibited a high areal capacitance of 1 mF/cm² and were capable of withstanding ultrahigh scan rates of 50 V/s, indicating strong performance for energy storage applications.
According to Niklaus, the implications of this research are substantial for emerging technologies. “Micro-supercapacitors have the potential to make these applications more compact and efficient,” he explains.
The study’s findings are also relevant for energy collection and stabilization in fields such as consumer electronics, renewable energy, and automotive systems, where larger supercapacitors are already in use.
KTH-led 3D printing research
In addition to their work on micro-supercapacitors, KTH researchers have also conducted research in other areas by working with other universities.
This year in February, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University researchers developed a method to streamline the production of electrochemical transistors using a Nanoscribe 3D microprinter.
By bypassing the need for cleanrooms and chemicals, the process significantly speeds up the fabrication of medical implants, wearable electronics, and biosensors. Published in Advanced Science, the study highlights the successful prototyping of glucose sensors and complementary inverters. According to the researchers, this method improves efficiency, sustainability, and scalability in bioelectronics, contributing to faster time-to-market and greener manufacturing practices.
Elsewhere, researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) alongside KTH Royal Institute of Technology made a breakthrough in understanding how cooling rates affect metal properties during the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process.
This study shows that controlling cooling rates can influence metal crystal structures, improving toughness and reducing cracking. Through validating predictions of the Kurz-Giovanola-Trivedi (KGT) solidification model using synchrotron x-rays, the team’s findings could enhance the consistency and scalability of metal additive manufacturing for industrial use.
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Featured image shows a close-up of 3D printed Si-rich glass micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) on silicon substrates – magnified by 4720 times. Image via KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
