Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: UCF Discovery Boosts Energy Storage of Supercapacitors

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Abstract:
Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a technique to increase the energy storage capabilities of supercapacitors, essential devices for powering high-speed trains, electric cars, and the emergency doors of the Airbus A380.

UCF Discovery Boosts Energy Storage of Supercapacitors

Orlando, FL | Posted on July 29th, 2013

The finding, which offers a solution to a problem that has plagued the growing multi-billion dollar industry, utilizes a unique three-step process to "print" large - area nanostructured electrodes, structures necessary to improve electrical conductivity and boost performance of the supercapacitor.

Jayan Thomas, an assistant professor in UCF's NanoScience Technology Center, led the project which is featured in the June edition of Advanced Materials, one of the leading peer-reviewed scientific journals covering materials science in the world. Thomas' research appears on the journal's highly-coveted frontispiece, the illustration page of the journal that precedes the title page.

Supercapacitors have been around since the 1960's. Similar to batteries, they store energy. The difference is that supercapacitors can provide higher amounts of power for shorter periods of time, making them very useful for heavy machinery and other applications that require large amounts of energy to start. However, due to their innate low energy density; supercapacitors are limited in the amount of energy that they can store.

"We had been looking at techniques to print nanostructures," said Thomas. "Using a simple spin-on nanoprinting (SNAP) technique, we can print highly-ordered nanopillars without the need for complicated development processes. By eliminating these processes, it allows multiple imprints to be made on the same substrate in close proximity."

This simplified fabrication method devised by Thomas and his team is very attractive for the next-generation of energy storage systems. "What we've found is by adding the printed ordered nanostructures to supercapacitor electrodes, we can increase their surface area many times," added Thomas. "We discovered that supercapacitors made using the SNAP technique can store much more energy than ones made without."

Thomas, who is also affiliated with the College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL), and the College of Engineering, was recently featured on American Institute of Physics' Inside Science TV for his collaborative research to develop a new material using nanotechnology that could potentially help keep pilots safe by diffusing harmful laser light.

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About University of Central Florida
50 Years of Achievement:The University of Central Florida, the nation’s second-largest university with nearly 60,000 students, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013. UCF has grown in size, quality, diversity and reputation, and today the university offers more than 200 degree programs at its main campus in Orlando and more than a dozen other locations. Known as America’s leading partnership university, UCF is an economic engine attracting and supporting industries vital to the region’s success now and into the future.

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