Power-Enhancing Interface for Bipolar Electrochemical Ultracapacitors

Power-Enhancing Interface for Bipolar Electrochemical Ultracapacitors DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-98ER86079 Amount: $100,000 Small Business InvenTek Corporation 320 Willow Street New Lenox, IL 60451-1047 Mr. Thomas D. Kaun, Principal Investigator Mr. Thomas D. Kaun, Business Official (815) 485-9604 Research Institution Argonne National Laboratory 9700 South Cass Avenue Argonne, IL 60439 A ten-fold increase in the power density of an ultracapacitor is required for applications in hybrid electric vehicle power systems. As with batteries, the performance of non-noble metal oxide, non-aqueous electrolyte ultracapacitors is controlled by the electrochemical interface. In this project, the electrochemical interface will be increased by 10-20 times, thereby reducing cell impedance, a necessary requirement for electrochemical power capability. The key is a hyperbipolar configuration which uses a coiled, reticulated electrochemical interface to reduce internal power losses ten-fold-increasing power without sacrificing energy. Unlike a conventional spiral wound design, the hyperbipolar element is a stackable disk, (1-3 mm thick X 120 mm dia) amenable to the high-powered bipolar design. Phase I will develop thin film processing and handling techniques using lithium-ion electrochemistry collection. Ultracapacitor components will be selected from a group of six options in materials and processing, and a prototype test will be conducted to verify performance. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Prototype, hyperbipolar separator components which demonstrate a ten-fold increase in specific power (e.g., 1.5-6.0 kW/kg for 18 s) should meet the requirements of a pulse battery for a hybrid electric vehicle. These vehicles promise 100% increased fuel efficiency and reduced air pollution. Other commercial applications include cordless tools, emergency equipment, medical-assist devices, and remote power sources._