Lithium-ion batteries store a lot of energy, but they run slowly. Ultracapacitors, on the other hand, are very fast, but energy can only fit in them sparingly. Hybrid systems should take advantage of both of these technologies and overcome their limitations. Skeleton Technologies has opted for a graphene hybrid system in which lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors work together.
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Ultracapacitors Skeleton. Credit: Skeleton Technologies.
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Batteries are still one of the major limitations in the development of new technologies in many industries. However, the intensive efforts of a number of research teams are already beginning to bear fruit. The Estonian company Skeleton Technologies recently joined forces with the German Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) to complete the development of a revolutionary graphene super battery that can be charged in 15 seconds.
Skeleton Technologies, logo.
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SuperBattery is a hybrid technology with a graphene design that combines conventional lithium ion batteries with Skeleton ultracapacitor cells. Both components work together and take advantage of their advantages. Lithium-ion batteries provide a high density of stored energy, but at the same time they discharge and charge relatively slowly. That’s why it takes so long for electric cars or, for example, battery-powered drones to recharge. This greatly hinders the further development and spread of these devices.
Ultracapacitors or supercapacitors or supercapacitors operate on a different principle than “chemical” lithium-ion batteries. They store energy through a static electric charge. As a result, they discharge and charge very quickly – and last them for thousands of cycles without sacrificing their parameters. However, their stored energy density is, to put it mildly, not very satisfactory. To store the same amount of energy, it would be necessary to use much larger supercapacitors than lithium-ion batteries.
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, logo.
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An interesting solution of this trade-off is to use a hybrid system. The lithium component of such a system ensures long-term storage of a large amount of energy. The ultra-capacitor component, in turn, is fast discharging and charging, as well as operating over a very wide temperature range. Similar hybrid technologies are now beginning to appear in the plans of leading electric car manufacturers. Tesla in the United States recently bought ultracapacitor manufacturer Maxwell Technologies. Apparently they are counting on hybrid batteries in Tesla electric cars.
According to Skeleton, the key element of the super battery is their patented carbon material Curved Graphene. Its use allows high performance ultracapacitors. This material was developed by Skeleton with the support of the EIT InnoEnergy program, which is part of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology. According to the management of the KIT institute, their cooperation with Skeleton is very promising. They expect the SupperBattery batteries to reach commercial form. This technology should change the rules of the game in the automotive industry. Big players in this field have already noticed them and are closely following the development of SuperBattery.
Video: Skeleton Technologies’ energy-saving ultracapacitor solutions for port cranes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yohpH09zkAY
Literature
Skeleton Technologies 8. 9. 2020.
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