Researchers use wood-biochar super capacitors to produce power at low cost. This power equals that of activated-carbon super capacitors, but the advantage here is its environmentally friendly nature.
“Super capacitors are power devices very similar to our batteries. While batteries rely on chemical reactions to produce sustained electrical energy, super capacitors collect charged ions on their electrodes (in this case, the biochar), and quickly release those ions during discharge. This allows them to supply energy in short, powerful bursts -- during a camera flash, for example, or in response to peak demand on the energy grid.” said study leader Junhua Jiang, a senior research engineer with the team (ref).
Applications for this technology will excel in devices that need instant and constant power such as batteries, at low cost. Further uses will be important in transportation, solar and wind energy storage, and distribution.
Study Credit:
The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at the University of Illinois.
Source: Image + Study
