Supercapacitors—also known as ultracapacitors—store energy similarly to batteries. However, they dispense power extremely quickly instead of over hours. As high-power-density energy storage systems, they work well as short-term power supplies, such as backup generators used for mission-critical applications. These options also meet fluctuating energy needs in devices such as laptops and cameras or bring storage capabilities to energy-harvesting wearables.

(Source: Adobe AI Generated)

Batteries provide a comparatively more stable and longer-term energy source than supercapacitors, so the latter would not replace them in such applications. However, there are opportunities to use both technologies to address specific limitations and challenges.

Here’s a look at how researchers are exploring new materials and ways to improve supercapacitors to fill gaps left by more conventional power sources.

Eco-friendly option for manufacturing supercapacitors

Popular electronics items such as smartwatches and fitness trackers often contain supercapacitors to support batteries in meeting peak-power needs by enabling components that need quick energy bursts. Smartphone camera flashes are excellent examples.

However, the typical process of creating activated carbon in supercapacitor electrodes is both time- and energy-intensive. One researcher has progressed with work to create smartphone supercapacitors with food waste.

The work centers on using mangosteen peels for the activated carbon in supercapacitor electrodes, which store the electrical charge. The researcher has developed a process for drying them, heating the fruit remnants without oxygen and using chemicals to turn them into the desired format. The exterior parts of mangosteens contain up to 45% carbon-rich compounds, making them viable candidates for future supercapacitors.

The typical process of creating activated carbon is more time-intensive, but this approach eliminates a five-hour heating phase, using less energy and making it more appealing for those considering commercial adoption. Estimates suggest people could make hundreds of supercapacitors from approximately five pounds of mangosteen peels.

Manufacturing leaders may wish to explore this alternative, especially when trying to meet sustainability goals. It also may indicate to stakeholders that they are genuinely interested in positive, environmentally friendly process changes. A frequently discussed downside of lithium-ion batteries is that less than 1% of lithium gets recycled once they are no longer usable. Making supercapacitors for smartphones could allow producers to bypass that shortcoming with an eco-friendly innovation that reduces waste.

Charging batteries in seconds rather than hours

Although most people appreciate the portability of battery-powered products, they recognize the hours required to recharge them as a notable shortcoming. Finding an available electrical outlet for that length of time is not always possible. Could ultracapacitors help? They have a comparatively higher power density than conventional batteries and charge much more quickly, potentially making them more convenient to install in frequently used devices.

Lead-acid batteries also need hours to charge, with industry estimates ranging from five to 14 hours. Recharging ultracapacitors takes 30 seconds or less. Using both in the same application can eliminate the immediate energy demands that shorten battery usability and overall longevity.

One researcher applied his chemical engineering background to improve energy-storage devices, such as power sources in electronics and cars. He recognized that speed is the primary appeal of ultracapacitors, especially if they allow faster charging and accelerate the release of energy.

His work shed more light on the activity of charged ions, which move within a network of thousands of interconnected pores. Making a supercapacitor’s surface porous increases its capacitance, and understanding the associated ion movements could help engineers control supercapacitors’ charge and discharge rates. That knowledge could result in better devices that allow people to replenish the batteries of future laptops, phones, and electric cars in minutes.

This researcher and his team developed a simulation and prediction method for ion movements that works in minutes, potentially furthering the possibilities for supercapacitors in common devices.

Preventing supercapacitor degradation with tree gum

Battery degradation happens due to repeated charge cycles, which is why people notice that products ranging from tablets to wireless earbuds gradually do not last as long over time. One widely suggested solution to reduce this issue is to keep devices’ batteries charged between 20% and 80% during use. However, that is not always an option, making concerned parties eager to find other possibilities.

Supercapacitors also face degradation issues. Scientists from three universities collaborated on a discovery suggesting that a tree gum from India could prevent supercapacitor degradation. The gum, which comes from the bark and is normally a waste product, was an essential ingredient in a spongy biopolymer the team added to the acidic electrolytes in supercapacitors to create protective layers.

Lab tests showed the addition slowed electrode degradation without restricting the ion transport processes for the supercapacitor to charge and discharge. The group also experimented to see how supercapacitors performed over tens of thousands of cycles, with and without the biopolymer.

The results after 30,000 charge cycles showed the supercapacitor retained 93% of its total energy capacity with the electrode protectant applied. However, it dropped to 58% in a supercapacitor without the biopolymer. The researchers also explained that this tree gum has few practical applications and is challenging for government officials to discard.

The researchers’ lab tests also showed supercapacitors containing the biopolymer could last up to 80 years.

This new approach could address those sustainability issues while boosting supercapacitor performance and increasing the adoptability potential in electronic devices and electric vehicles. It also can reduce the e-waste generated from devices that lose effectiveness due to repeated charge cycles. In addition, the electrode additive is recyclable and biodegradable, supporting sustainability.

Positioning supercapacitors as problem-solvers

These examples show how, if used alongside batteries, supercapacitors could overcome many of the issues associated with them. Engineers, product designers, and others are most likely to get the best results from their efforts by analyzing the key challenges associated with conventional power sources and assessing whether supercapacitors could help overcome them.

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