High-energy-density capacitor promises multiple applications

The device currently measures 1-inch by 1-inch, but the team from the University of Houston, Texas, Jackson State University, Mississippi, and Howard University, Washington, DC said it could be scaled up to ‘potentially revolutionise energy storage systems’.

The team’s findings are detailed in ACS Nano.

In a statement, Alamgir Karim, Dow Chair and Welch Foundation Professor of Chemical Engineering at UH, said: “High-energy and high-power capacitors are essential for a reliable power supply, especially as we shift to using more renewable energy sources. However, current dielectric capacitors don't store as much energy as other types of energy storage devices such as batteries. The higher power density of capacitors makes them more attractive for a multitude of applications as compared to batteries.”

The amount of energy a capacitor can store depends on its permittivity and dielectric breakdown strength.

“To increase a capacitor's energy storage, we need to improve both,” said Karim.

In this study, the researchers designed a new type of capacitor using layered polymers with oriented 2D nanofillers derived from mechanically exfoliated flakes of 2D materials.