Integrated devices to realize energy conversion and storage simultaneously

Abstract

Other forms of energy are generally converted to electric energy and then transported to electrochemical devices, where the energy is stored, by external electric wires. To further improve total energy conversion and storage efficiency, interest in simultaneously realize the energy conversion and storage in a single device has increased. This Concept describes recent progress in developing such novel integrated energy devices. Both planar and wire architectures are carefully illustrated with an emphasis on the "energy wire" which has been the focus of past developments due to its unique and promising applications, such as being woven into clothes or other complex structures by conventional textile technology. The current challenges and future directions of the integrated devices, particularly in the wire architecture, are summarized. Live wire: Novel integrated devices are described for the simultaneous realization of photoelectric conversion and energy storage with an emphasis on a wire format. The wire structure enables unique and promising applications, for example being woven into clothes or other complex flexible equipment by conventional textile technology. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.