The ARMS project has made significant steps toward its goal of developing sustainable, high-performance supercapacitors with enhanced energy densities. During the first reporting period, the project focused on advanced materials development, electrode fabrication, and scalable processing techniques:
Materials Development: Bio-based carbon materials were developed with record-breaking specific surface areas (>3100 m²/g) and capacitance (>200 F/g) from renewable sources like pistachio shells and alder wood. These materials form the foundation for energy-efficient electrode integration.
Electrode Fabrication: Innovative ink formulations and printing methods achieved specific capacitances of 200 F/g for flexible supercapacitors. Structural electrodes with activated carbon fibers and graphene coatings are under refinement to improve adhesion and mechanical properties.
Advanced Coatings: Ultra-thin metal oxide layers, applied via Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), enhanced specific capacitance by up to 36% while maintaining structural integrity. Progress on optimizing pseudocapacitive materials continues.
Electrolyte Systems: Hybrid bio-gelled electrolytes were designed for flexible devices, while safe, high-voltage electrolyte systems are under iterative testing to improve energy storage performance.
Sustainability Framework: A Safe and Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) framework was established, integrating circular economy principles and environmental assessments to ensure alignment with EU green goals.
Key deliverables, including synthesis protocols, ink formulations, and sustainability assessments, were completed on schedule. Challenges, such as electrode adhesion and scalability, are being addressed through cross-work-package collaboration.
