Supercapacitors Technical Requirements for New Applications

Abstract

The supercapacitors (SCs), also called ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, are devices with a very high specific power and high capacitance, available for a long period of time with negligible deterioration, that have been historically proposed in small applications (memory back‐up in consumer electronics and storage systems for microsolar power generators) and now are proposed for high power/energy applications, such as hybrid and electric vehicles, power quality systems and smart grids. The advancements in new materials and the rapid growth of more demanding storage systems in a variety of applications have created a lack of universally accepted definitions of these devices and, consequently, a real difficulty in describing developments and progress in the SC field. This paper contains a brief survey of the history of the SC development, which is strongly related to the evolution of the SC technologies, tentatively classified in symmetric, asymmetric and hybrid. A short presentation of key parameters has been given to introduce the description of new applications with large SC devices, covering transport, industrial and electric utility sectors, with some reflections about the foreseen impacts on the future market more than quadrupled in 5 years up to almost $877 million worldwide.

Electrodes and hydrogel electrolytes based on cellulose: fabrication and characterization as EDLC components

“…The energy storage mechanism of supercapacitors is based on reversible ion electrosorption at the electrodeelectrolyte interface and/or fast and reversible redox reactions on the electroactive surface [4][5][6]. The EDLCs are widely applied in stationary power back-up systems, hybrid or electric vehicles and also could be considered as a supporting component to batteries in a variety of portable storage devices [7][8][9][10].…”

Development of a 4.2 V aqueous hybrid electrochemical capacitor based on MnO2 positive and protected Li negative electrodes

“…[1,2] ECs using aqueous electrolytes have several advantages compared to those using non-aqueous electrolytes including environmental friendliness, non-flammability and low cost. Typical electric double-layer capacitors using aqueous electrolyte are composed of carbon/carbon electrodes in symmetric configuration, delivering devices with energy densities of up to ~6 Wh kg In order to realize a high voltage aqueous device, hydrogen evolution at the negative electrode must be avoided.…”

Application of Carbon Nanotubes Directly Grown on Aluminum Foils as Electric Double Layer Capacitor Electrodes

“…Supercapacitors or, more specifically, EDLCs have attracted much attention because they satisfy desirable requirements for energy accumulation and they also have high specific power, a long life time, and are of simple construction. [6][7][8] EDLCs store the charge electrostatically using reversible adsorption of ions of the electrolyte onto active material. A typical EDLC is composed of a flexible current collector electrically connected to an inert electrode with a high surface area.…”