Why in news?
Scientists have developed a stable material for pseudocapacitors or supercapacitors which store electrical energy by electron charge transfer.
The material can offer a low-cost scalable energy storage solution as an alternative to batteries.
Details
- The team has developed the pseudocapacitive material, a hybrid xerogel structure (a solid formed from a gel by drying with unhindered shrinkage), for the very first time.
- Although reported in the literature as alternatives to conventional pseudocapacitors, they lack sufficient cycling stability to replace batteries in the consumer market.
- The scientists say that it can promote future research in the field of organic pseudocapacitors and provide an effective strategy to facilitate progress towards self-sustaining energy future.
What are Pseudocapacitors?
- Pseudocapacitors store electrical energy faradaically by electron charge transfer between electrode and electrolyte. This is accomplished through electrosorption, reduction-oxidation reactions (redox reactions), and intercalation processes, termed pseudocapacitance.
- Pseudocapacitance and double-layer capacitance add up to a common inseparable capacitance value of a supercapacitor.
- However, they can be effective with very different parts of the total capacitance value depending on the design of the electrodes.
What is a Supercapacitor?
- A supercapacitor (SC), also called an ultracapacitor, is a high-capacity capacitor with a capacitance value much higher than other capacitors, but with lower voltage limits, that bridges the gap between electrolytic capacitors and rechargeable batteries.
- It typically stores 10 to 100 times more energy per unit volume or mass than electrolytic capacitors, can accept and deliver charge much faster than batteries, and tolerates many more charge and discharge cycles than rechargeable batteries.
- Supercapacitors are used in applications requiring many rapid charge/discharge cycles, rather than long term compact energy storage.
