The new hybrid supercapacitor developed at UCLA stores large amounts of energy recharges quickly and can last for more than 10000 recharge cycles Image courtesy of UCLArsquos California NanoSystems Institute

Hybrid Battery/Supercap Endures 10,000-Plus Recharge Cycles

April 8, 2015
Battery and supercapacitor technologies were merged using a combination of nanomaterials to boost energy storage, enabling more than 10,000 recharge cycles.

Advances in mobiles and myriad other applications continue unabated, but battery development can’t seem to keep pace technologically. However, by combining the best qualities of batteries and supercapacitors, researchers at UCLA’s California NanoSystems Institute (with support from Nanotech Energy) created a new energy-storage medium that can last for more than 10,000 recharge cycles. Moreover, the combination of nanomaterials is able to store large amounts of energy and recharge quickly.

The microsupercapacitor merges laser-scribed graphene (LSG), a highly conductive material, with manganese dioxide, which is currently used in alkaline batteries to hold a charge. Extreme temperatures aren’t needed to fabricate the hybrid, and it doesn’t require the expensive dry rooms typically found in supercapacitor production. It’s so small—one-fifth the thickness of a sheet of paper—that it could be used in wearable or implantable devices. According to the research team, the supercapacitor has approximately six times the capacity of comparable supercaps.

The research team, led by Professor Richard Kaner and postdoctoral scholar, Maher El-Kady, found that the new supercapacitor could quickly store an electrical charge generated by a solar cell during the day, hold the charge until evening, and power an LED overnight. It’s suited for applications such as off-grid street lighting, and has shown potential for improving personal electronics technology.

About the Author

Iliza Sokol | Associate Content Producer

Iliza joined the Penton Media group in 2013 after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a BS in Advertising and Marketing Communications. Prior to joining the staff, she worked at NYLON Magazine and a ghostwriting firm based in New York.

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