THE ENTRY of University of Santo Tomas on ‘Abaca-Cotton Fabric with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Polyaniline-Polypyrrole Complex Layer’ won the top prize in the Scientific Posters category of the Rapid Fire Competition of the 40th Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE)  and 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting and Symposium.

The research was done by Graduate School student Celine Grace V. Causapin together with College of Science faculty members Dr. Felicidad Christina R. Ramirez and Dr. Christina A. Binag, respectively.

The study focuses on supercapacitors as ‘one of the most studied energy storage devices due to its high power density, fast charge-discharge rate, and long-term cycle stability’.

“Our aim is to fabricate and characterize a renewable supercapacitor electrode using abaca-cotton fabric with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and polyaniline-polypyrrole complex layer,” the researchers said.

“It also aimed to assemble symmetrical supercapacitor full cells using hybrid composites as electrodes,” they added.

“The physical characteristics of the composites were evaluated using four-point probe conductivity test and thermogravimetric analyses. Our study showed the energy density (1.82 Wh/L) and power density (50.31 W/L) values of PAPY/MWCNT/ACF fall well within the supercapacitor range of the Ragone plot, making it an ideal supercapacitor electrode material,” the researchers explained.

PAASE is a non-profit organization composed of scientists and engineers of Philippine descent who distinguished themselves in scholarly and research related activities.

It was founded and incorporated in Indiana on April 23, 1980, with the objective to promote collaborations among Filipino scientists around the globe and to help the Philippines in its effort to advance science and engineering, teaching and research in the country.