Unlocking the Future with Flexible, Wire-Shaped Supercapacitors

Abstract

Supercapacitors are critical to the mainstream adoption of a variety of technologies enabling applications such as Cleantech, Wearables, and Internet of Things (IoT). While the value added by supercapacitors is known and well documented, finding the physical space to incorporate supercapacitors in those systems is a challenge to overcome. Traditional supercapacitors are physically rigid energy storage components that are available in a cylindrical or rectangular shape that are installed on printed circuit boards (PCBs), where space is highly valuable. This traditional form factor limits an engineer’s placement options making it difficult to utilize supercapacitors in certain applications. This physical restriction forces engineers to make difficult design and performance tradeoffs. Capacitech Energy, Inc. is commercializing research from the University of Central Florida that reimagined the form factor of supercapacitors to be physically flexible and wire-shaped. This innovation leverages its novel form factor to eliminate the need to make painful engineering tradeoffs. Flexible supercapacitors can be routed through areas where space is available on the PCB or alternatively, placed off the PCB and integrated into other parts of the product or system’s infrastructure. This placement advantage and the supercapacitor’s high-power density make this technology well suited to complement modern energy harvesting technologies and batteries used in a variety of applications. Many opportunities exist to complement power sources with this cable-based supercapacitor’s peak-power capability and to build cable-based backup power systems. This innovation helps designers meet their goals by building discrete and distributed networks of supercapacitors, made possible by this innovative form factor helping engineer build next generation smart city electronics, wearables, solar power systems, electric vehicles and more.