supercapacitors

Developed by Chinese researchers, the novel hybrid storage technology may achieve an efficiency of over 80% and be applied in distribution and transmission grids. The proposed combination is reportedly able to offer the advantages of gravity energy storage and power-based storage systems in a single solution.

Researchers in Egypt have developed a synthesis method that uses the high microwave absorbance of silicon carbide content in rice straw ash and takes just 60 seconds to produce sodium iron phosphates-carbon nanocomposites (NaFePO4-C), which can be used as sodium ion battery cathodes and as symmetric supercapacitors.

Swedish researchers have developed a novel way to manufacture micro supercapacitors, also known as system-on-a-chip, so they are compatible with other components in system circuits and can be easily tailored for different uses.

Professor Thomas Nann told pv magazine Australia that a breakthrough idea was almost too simple: “Actually when we submitted the patent in the first place, the patent officers came back to us and said ‘well, that’s too trivial’ and we made exactly that argument – why did no one else do that then?” said Nann.

Researchers have just under four weeks to apply for backing for their projects, in areas including battery reuse and recycling, circular manufacturing and supercapacitors.

Scientists in the United States have found several shortcomings in the approaches commonly used by scientists to model the structure of electrodes. The group outlines a new approach which it says could lead to the discovery of new materials and combinations that can lead to batteries performing better for longer.

Scientists at Germany’s Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin have made a discovery they say could greatly increase the energy storage capacity of titanium-based ‘MXene’ pseudocapacitors, ultimately leading to faster-charging batteries. The group found adding urea molecules between MXene layers increased the material’s storage capacity by up to 56%.

By engineering the structure of a hard carbon electrode, scientists at the CIC energIGUNE research center have created an ‘ultrafast battery’ which has been shown to combine the energy density of a lithium device with the fast discharge times normally associated with supercapacitors.

The target company, which specializes in supercapacitors, will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elon Musk’s business.

Two innovative new technologies with potential applications in solar were unveiled this week. Research teams across the world are looking at new way to boost solar’s stability by integrating with storage. Scientists in Australia and in China demonstrate their innovative steps toward achieving this.