Textile energy storage: Structural design concepts, material selection and future perspectives

As a crucial element of human civilization, textiles reflect the range of materials indispensable for a variety of fundamental technologies that had been mastered throughout the history. In recent years, textiles are in a growing research frontier where fabrics and yarns can directly serve as electrical energy storage devices by themselves to develop wearable energy solutions. Integrated textile energy storage devices may power new functions, such as sensing, therapy, navigation, and communication, while preserving good wearability similar to original textiles. In this review, we introduce the design concepts and structures of textile energy storage devices currently explored including fabrication approaches. We particularly highlight key findings of creating two-dimensional textile and one-dimensional yarn supercapacitors and batteries. Critically, we discuss the challenges for future research development and present our perspectives. We expect to stimulate more research in creating textile energy storage devices for wide practical applications. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.