Miniaturized Integrated Micro-Supercapacitors as Efficient Power Sources for Wearable and Biocompatible Electronic Devices

We present a novel approach to fabricate the biocompatible and stretchable micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) as energy storage units in electronic devices. The interdigital micro-patterns were embedded into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate via a combination of microelectronic fabrication techniques. Graphene, as a biocompatible form of carbon, was used as the electrode material due to its high electrical conductivity, large surface area, and excellent mechanical strength. The integrated MSC delivered a high stack capacitance of 1.95 F/cm(3), excellent rate performance, and unique cycling stability (<7% capacitance loss after 10,000 cycles). Moreover, the MSC can withstand high strains and retain good electrical property retention after cycling tests. This miniaturized, biocompatible and stretchable MSC demonstrated great potential as a futuristic generation of power source for wearable and biomedical-related electronic devices.