Carbon fiber reinforced Zn–MnO2 structural composite batteries

Structural composite batteries, which can simultaneously carry mechanical loads and store electric energy, have the potential to significantly reduce the system weight of electric-powered systems including electric cars, unmanned air systems, and mobile robots. Recent research in this area has primarily focused on carbon-fiber based lithium-ion batteries, which require stringent protection against factors such as toxicity, moisture, and overheating, making it particularly challenging to realize the potential of structural batteries. Herein, we propose a novel carbon fiber reinforced Zn–MnO2 structural composite battery featuring a MnO2 cathode and a zinc ion anode; carbon fibers conduct current and provide stiffness and strength. The resulting structural Zn–MnO2 composite battery, which can be manufactured using a simple vacuum consolidation process, without the need for inert gloveboxes, demonstrates an excellent tensile strength of 293 MPa and a high specific capacity of 145.9 mAh g−1. Moreover, the structural composite battery achieves an excellent energy density of 181.5 Wh kg−1 and retains 88.3% capacity after 100 cycles. The new carbon fiber Zn–MnO2 structural composite battery offers huge potential for next-generation energy-storing structures that are safe, eco-efficient, and provide multifunctional performance.