Flexible Transparent Bifunctional Capacitive Sensors with Superior Areal Capacitance and Sensing Capability based on PEDOT:PSS/MXene/Ag Grid Hybrid Electrodes

Abstract

AbstractFlexible transparent supercapacitors (FTSs) have aroused considerable attention. Nonetheless, balancing energy storage capability and transparency remains challenging. Herein, a new type of FTSs with both excellent energy storage and superior transparency is developed based on PEDOT:PSS/MXene/Ag grid ternary hybrid electrodes. The hybrid electrodes can synergistically utilize the high optoelectronic properties of Ag grids, the excellent capacitive performance of MXenes, and the superior chemical stability of PEDOT:PSS, thus, simultaneously demonstrating excellent optoelectronic properties (T: ≈89%, Rs: ≈39 Ω sq−1), high areal specific capacitance, superior mechanical softness, and excellent anti‐oxidation capability. Due to the excellent comprehensive performances of the hybrid electrodes, the resulting FTSs exhibit both high optical transparency (≈71% and ≈60%) and large areal specific capacitance (≈3.7 and ≈12 mF cm−2) besides superior energy storage capacity (P: 200.93, E: 0.24 µWh cm−2). Notably, the FTSs show not only excellent energy storage but also exceptional sensing capability, viable for human activity recognition. This is the first time to achieve FTSs that combine high transparency, excellent energy storage and good sensing all‐in‐one, which make them stand out from conventional flexible supercapacitors and promising for next‐generation smart flexible energy storage devices.