SBIR Phase I: Integration of Aligned Carbon Nanofiber Electrodes with Organosilicon Electrolytes for High Energy-Density Supercapacitors

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I project will combine the use of vertically aligned carbon nanofiber electrodes with organosilicon electrolytes to produce new supercapacitors exhibiting high voltage stability, high charge and discharge rate (i.e., good high-frequency response), and high energy storage density, using a safe, non-flammable electrolyte. Primary technical objectives of Phase 1 are to evaluate which organolsilcon polymers provide the best electrical properties, to grow well-defined nanofiber arrays with controlled spacing, and to characterize the longer-term stability of these novel supercapacitors. This combination of properties is particularly useful for use in hybrid automotive vehicles, where fast discharge rate is needed to sustain good vehicular acceleration, and the need for very large amounts of energy storage makes the intrinsic low flammability of organosilicon electrolytes highly desireable. The non-flammable nature of organosilicon polymers also simplifies cell construction, eliminating the need for flame-proof hermetic seals and therefore reducing the weight of the capacitors.