February 14, 2005
Technology in Focus features analysis of recent technology news articles, by the consultants in Technology Group, IDA. This is the top pick of the month from a list of 10 - 20 news analysis compiled monthly.
Ultracapacitors Aim to Fill Energy Gap by Robert L. Mitchell, ComputerWorld 10 Jan 2005
by Lim Yew Gee, Senior Consultant, Technology Direction
Ultracapacitors, also known as electric double-layer capacitors are a new class of advanced batteries that hold potential for powering future electronics. Unlike traditional batteries that use chemical to deliver power to your computing gargets, it uses electrical charges to store and regenerate energy. In comparison with batteries, ultracapacitors are more compact and can supply more power for a given weight, charge in seconds instead of hours and function at more extreme temperatures. They are also more efficient and can last longer than chemical batteries. The technology works on the polarization of an electrolyte between the high surface area electrodes, and the extremely small charge separation hold the electrics charges.
Today, ultracapacitors are mainly targeting the automobile market. A South Korea company NessCap has developed an impressive record of 5 kilofarads super capacitor to power cars and buses. Tokyo-based Ricoh Co. is using them in copier machines to store the energy needed to warm up the machines quickly, minimizing time spent in the energy-wasting standby mode. Makers of high-end car stereo amplifiers are using ultracapacitors to deliver the surges of power demanded in car audio system. By exploiting better nanomaterials in the development of ultracapacitor, it is not impossible to use it to power mobile phones, PDAs and laptops devices.
The critical components behind the ultracapacitor are the selection of appropriate electrolyte with low ionic resistance and high performance electrodes. Research is ongoing on technologies that could improve the performance, while lowering the cost of the electrolyte. At MITs electromagnetic laboratory, some projects are ongoing to investigate the use of carbon nanotubes as electrodes. The researchers are creating materials in which the nanotubes grow out perpendicularly from a substrate. The nanotubes will become electrically charged to attract oppositely charged ions in the electrolyte. The nanotubes will be spaced to hold these ions. The advantage is that this arrangement can trap more ions, enough to raise the energy density of an ultracapacitor 100-fold, according to the researchers.
Already ultracapacitor products are available in the market for niche application. Maxwell Technologies is offering a range of small ultracapacitors for applications in toys, tools and consumer electronics products providing standby, backup and burst power. The boostcap ultracapacitors are slated to deliver up to 10 times the power, last up to 10 times as long and ability to operate in extreme temperature as compared to normal batteries. Going ahead, research works will be looking more in the integration of ultracapacitor with fuel cell technologies.
Some words about the writer
Lim Yew Gee is a senior consultant with the Technology Group tasked with the responsibility of identifying and driving the adoption of emerging technologies in Singapore. He is currently developing a long-term perspective roadmap on nanotechnologies and its impact on info-communication technologies.
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