Bioarmor‐Inspired 3D Electrodes for High‐Capacitance Stretchable Supercapacitors

Abstract

Abstract Stretchable supercapacitors are crucial for powering the next generation of wearable devices, but they face the challenge of insufficient areal capacitance. Although 3D electrodes improve the amount of active materials, their considerable thickness can increase stiffness and restrict deformability. Inspired by Armadillo's armor that incorporates rigid bony plates within elastic skin for optimal protection and flexibility, this study presents a 3D electrode designed to balance these conflicting requirements. The electrode comprises an array of densely packed, porous conductive pillars anchored to a soft current collector, effectively decoupling electrochemical and mechanical functions. The 900 µm‐thick pillars act as a porous scaffold, enabling high loading of active material PEDOT at 10 mg cm −2 . Meanwhile, the current collector efficiently dissipates applied tension, resulting in exceptional deformability for the electrode. To demonstrate their practical application, these supercapacitors are integrated into a soft, untethered electronic system featuring a wireless charging circuit with a skin‐conformal LED array for sustained operation. By effectively addressing the longstanding challenge of balancing high capacitance with mechanical compliance, this bioinspired electrode design establishes a transformative approach to create high‐performance, deformation‐resilient energy storage devices for wearable technologies.