Affiliation:
1. Center for Nanotechnology and Sustainability Department of Mechanical Engineering National University of Singapore Singapore 117574 Singapore
2. Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials National University of Singapore Singapore 117544 Singapore
3. Institute of Materials Research and Engineering Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A* STAR) #08‐03, 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis Singapore 138634 Singapore
Abstract
Herein, a sustainable graphitic carbon derived from waste polystyrene plastics (PS‐G) has been developed and a proof of concept for the integration of organic solar cells, Al‐ion batteries, and piezoresistive sensors based on PS‐G electrodes has been provided. First, a flexible organic solar cell (OSC) with the PS‐G interfacial layer between the photoactive material and the Al metal has enhanced charge extraction mobility with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.5%. A new range of possibilities in metal:semiconductor:carbon:metal contact and interfacial tuning in OSCs are made possible by the fact that pure PS‐G without Al can successfully extract electrons with a PCE of 0.89%. Second, when used as the cathode in an Al–carbon battery, PS‐G demonstrates a specific capacity of 148 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1. At different current densities, PS‐G cathodes demonstrate high cycling stability (with 65% capacity retention over 100 cycles). Finally, the best of the fabricated OSCs and the Al–carbon batteries are then combined with a piezoresistive sensor that includes an active PS‐G electrode. The battery‐powered sensor has a resistance of 40–45 × 104 Ω while the solar‐powered sensor has a resistance of 32–35 × 104 Ω, when subjected to mechanical stimuli, with a tensile strength of 20 N.
Funder
Agency for Science, Technology and Research