Researchers at a UK university have published a paper outlining their super-capacitor technology based on a material called Polyaniline (PANI).
Scientists at Surry University used the polymer material as a conductive to store energy through a mechanism known as pseudocapacitance.
Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) revealed the technology, which can be used as the electrode in a super-capacitor device.
The research was published in the journal Energy and Environmental Materials.
The paper details how a three-layer composite using carbon nanotubes, PANI, and hydrothermal carbon demonstrated remarkable rate-capability at high energy densities, independent of the power use.
The electrode stores charge by trapping ions within the electrode. It does this by exchanging electrons with the ion, which “dopes” the material.
Professor Ravi Silva, director of the ATI at the University of Surrey, said: “This highly ambitious and impactful work has the potential to change the way we all live our lives – and it might be what is needed to make the change for an efficient and fast charging solution of harvested energy from the environment.