STTR Phase I: AC-Supercapacitors for Power Applications

该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是一种基于千赫兹高频超级电容器的创新电容器技术，称为AC-Supercap，旨在取代传统的铝电解电容器（AECs），用于广泛的电子和电力系统。电容器是电子设备、驱动电机、电器和仪器的电源以及用于可再生能源发电的电力转换和调节系统中必不可少的部件。在消费电子领域，小型化和低姿态甚至软包装，以及更高的功率效率是一些关键的需求。在电力系统和其他用电要求高的工业部门中，大电容、大纹波电流吸收和高温额定值是关键要求。随着分布式无线传感器和物联网（IoT）的出现，脉冲能量的存储和产生也将是必要的。AC-Supercap具有比现有解决方案更好的性能，有望更好地满足广泛客户的需求。一旦这项技术取得成功，也将对西德克萨斯州当地的生态系统和区域社区产生巨大影响。这个小型企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目将研究生产AC- supercap作为高性能交流（AC）滤波电容器的可行性，用于电源模块，板载应用，或作为紧凑高效的脉冲电源存储。传统aec存在电容密度低、体积庞大、寿命差、等效串联电阻大、极性灵敏度低等缺点，不能很好地满足技术需求。为了实现既具有大电容密度又具有高频响应的交流超级电容器，需要研究两个相互矛盾的要求，以及纳米结构电极工程。为了生产具有大额定电压和电容的紧凑电容器，将优化设计和演示多电池集成，考虑到单个电池固有的低额定电压，这是至关重要的。针对这些技术挑战提出的创新解决方案将在接下来的项目阶段降低AC-Supercap产品原型的风险，为商业化技术做好准备。这些研究活动将促进纳米结构电极工艺和性能控制、多电池集成设计，特别是交流超级电容器技术的科学理解和技术发展。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is an innovative new capacitor technology based on kilohertz high-frequency supercapacitor, called AC-Supercap, aiming to replace conventional aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) for a vast range of electronic and power systems. Capacitors are an essential component used in electronic devices, in power supplies driving electrical machines, appliances and instruments, as well as in power conversion and conditioning systems used for renewable energy generation. In the consumer electronics sector, miniaturization and low-profile or even flexible packaging, and higher power efficiency are some of the key demands. In the power system and other power-demanding industry sectors, large capacitance, large ripple current absorption, and high temperature rating are the key requirements. With the emergence of distributed wireless sensors and Internet of Things (IoT), pulse energy storage and generation will be necessary as well. AC-Supercap, with its much better performance than current solutions, is anticipated to better serve the needs of broad range of customers. Upon the success of this technology, there will also be tremendous impact on the local ecosystem and regional community of West Texas. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of producing AC-Supercap as high-performance alternating current (AC) filtering capacitors for power modules, on-board application, or as compact and efficient pulse power storage. Conventional AECs, limited by their low capacitance density, bulky size, poor lifetime, large equivalent series resistance, and polarity sensitivity cannot meet technical needs well. To achieve AC-Supercaps with both large capacitance density and high-frequency response, two contradictory requirements, and nanostructured electrode engineering will be investigated. To produce a compact capacitor with a large voltage rating and capacitance, multicell integration will be optimally designed and demonstrated, which is crucial considering the intrinsic low voltage rating of a single cell. The proposed innovative solutions to these technical challenges will de-risk the AC-Supercap product prototyping in the following project phases to make ready the technology for commercialization. These research activities will advance the scientific understanding and technological development of nanostructured electrode process and property control, multicell integration design, and particularly AC-Supercap technology.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.