Characterization and Reporting Protocols for Structural Power Composites: A Perspective

Characterization and Reporting Protocols for Structural Power Composites: A Perspective

Advanced Energy Materials

10.1002/aenm.202404702

https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202404702

Emile S. Greenhalgh, Sang Nguyen, Leif E. Asp, Alfredo Bici, Alexander Bismarck, Derrick Fam, Mats Johansson, Göran Lindbergh, Jodie L. Lutkenhaus, Milo S. P. Shaffer, Natasha Shirshova, Madhavi Srinivasan, Johanna Xu, Dan Zenkert

11 August 2025

Greenhalgh, E. S., Nguyen, S., Asp, L. E., Bici, A., Bismarck, A., Fam, D., Johansson, M., Lindbergh, G., Lutkenhaus, J. L., Shaffer, M. S. P., Shirshova, N., Srinivasan, M., Xu, J., & Zenkert, D. (2025). Characterization and Reporting Protocols for Structural Power Composites: A Perspective. Advanced Energy Materials. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202404702

Structural power composites, multifunctional materials that can withstand mechanical loads while storing/delivering electrical energy, are gaining significant interest. However, a consequence of melding disparate structural and electrochemical technologies is that there are no common characterization and reporting protocols, undermining the advancement of this emerging field. This Perspective paper sets out the challenges and resulting issues in the literature and recommends best practices and requirements for future protocols for reporting multifunctional performance. A key recommendation is that a “universal coupon” should be developed to be used for both mechanical and electrochemical characterization of cells, and hence credibly declare multifunctional performance. Ultimately, such a universal coupon can simultaneously characterize both functions, so as to glean electrochemical–mechanical coupling phenomena. This article recommends reporting guidelines so as to avoid the current ambiguities associated with normalization and permit robust comparison across the literature. The aspiration is that the guidelines and framework outlined in this paper lay the groundwork for formal standard methods to be developed and agreed upon. Establishing robust characterization and clearer reporting permits researchers and industry to take an informed view of the literature and provides a better grounding for the adoption of this technology, underpinning future industrialization of these emerging materials.

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) Programmatic Fund
Grant Reference no. : A20H3b0140

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Greenhalgh, E. S., Nguyen, S., Asp, L. E., Bici, A., Bismarck, A., Fam, D., Johansson, M., Lindbergh, G., Lutkenhaus, J. L., Shaffer, M. S. P., Shirshova, N., Srinivasan, M., Xu, J., & Zenkert, D. (2025). Characterization and Reporting Protocols for Structural Power Composites: A Perspective. Advanced Energy Materials. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202404702 , which has been published in final form at [Link to final article using the DOI]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.

https://oar.a-star.edu.sg/communities-collections/articles/22424

1614-6832
1614-6840

Institute of Materials Research and Engineering

https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202404702