Exploring supercapacitors to improve their structure
Tuesday, February 19, 2013 - 09:31
in Physics & Chemistry
No matter how intimidating their name, supercapacitors are part of our daily lives. Take buses for example: supercapacitors are charged during braking, and supply electricity to open the doors when the vehicle stops. Yet the molecular organization and functioning of these electricity storage devices had not previously been observed. For the first time, researchers from CNRS and the Université d'Orléans have explored the molecular rearrangements at play in commercially available supercapacitors while in operation. The technique devised by the scientists provides a new tool for optimizing and improving tomorrow's supercapacitors. The results are published on-line on Nature Materials' website on 17 February 2013.