HIGH PERFORMANCE ELECTROCHEMICAL CAPACITORS

Advanced electric weaponry, electric vehicles, and aerospace systems have requirements for high bursts of power beyond the capability of existing electrostatic capacitor technology. Compared to conventional capacitors, electrochemical capacitors offer major increases in capacitance density and an energy storage capability approaching that of batteries. Ruthenium Dioxide with its high capacity (100 mF/cm(2)/micron vs 3 mF/cm2/micron for high surface area carbons) and high electrical conductivity (2 x 10(4) ohm(-1-)cm(-1)) is an ideal candidate electrode material for electrochemical capacitors. The conductivity of RuO(2) films prepared using the standard technique of thermally decomposing RuC1(3) is only about 10(2) ohm(-1)-cm(-1), far short of the bulk conductivity of ~ 10(4) ohm (-1)-cm(-1). Using our novel, low-cost ,high rate, Jet Vapor Deposition (JVD) technology, we have succeeded in depositing RuO(2) films with conductivities as high as 2 x 10(4) ohm(-1)-cm(-1). In the Phase I program, we will synthesize highly conducting, porous RuO(2) electrodes based upon procedures developed for JVD deposition of porous metallic films.