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AAWSAP DIRD Ultracapacitors as Energy and Power Storage Devices November 1 2010

Departamento de Guerra (EE.UU.) · 2010 · Documento · Release 06
⚠ Texto extraído por OCR de la fuente oficial — puede contener errores de reconocimiento. El documento original es la autoridad.
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                      Defense
                      Intelligence
                      Reference
                      Document
                      Defense Futures

01 November 2010

!COD : 20 July 2010

DI A-08- 1011 -005




                      Ultracapacitors as Energy and
                      Power Storage Devices for
                      Commercial and Military
                      Applications




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 Ultracapacitors as Energy and Power Storage Devices for
 Commercial and Military Applications


           The Defense Intelligence Reference Document provides nonsubstantive but
           authoritative reference information related to intelli ence to ics or methodolo ies.




 Prepared by:

 Technology Warning Division (DW0-4)
 Defense Warning Office
 Directorate for Analysis
 Defense Intelligence Agency

 Authors:
AAP Person 84, AAP Person 85




(U) COPYRIGHT WARNING: Further dissemination of the photographs in this publication is not authorized.

This product is one of a series of advanced technology reports produced in FY 2010 under the
Defense Intelligence Agency, Defense Warning Office's Advanced Aerospace Weapons System
Applications (AAWSA) Program. Comments or questions pertaining to this document should be
addressed to !MP Person 1                   I
                                          AAWSA Program Manager, Defense Intelligence Agency,
ATTN: JUIAF - DI/DWO-3, Bldg 6000, Washington D.C. 20340-5100




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Contents
Summary................................................................................................................iv

Chapter 1: Concept Overview ................................................................................ 1

     Batteries and Ultracaps ...................................................................................... 3

     History ............................................................................................................... 5

Chapter 2: Materials Technology ........................................................................... 8

     Electrolytes ........................................................................................................ 8

     Electrodes ............................................................................................................................................................................ 9

Chapter 3: Applications ....................................................................................... 13

     Electronics and Telecommunications ................................................................ 13

     Industrial ......................................................................................................... 13

     Transportation ................................................................................................. 14

     Aerospace ........................................................................................................ 15

Chapter 4: Recent Developments ........................................................................ 17

     CNTs and Advanced Carbons ............................................................................ 17

     Thin Films ........................................................................................................ 20

     Magnetic Capacitors ......................................................................................... 21

Chapter 5: Future Developments ......................................................................... 25

Chapter 6: Conclusions ........................................................................................ 27

Chapter 7: Endnotes ............................................................................................ 28

Figures
Figure 1. Ultracaps in Various Configurations . ...................................................... 1
Figure 2. Operation of an Ultracapacitor................................................................3
Figure 3. Ragone Plot.............................................................................................5
Figure 4. Electrolytic Capacitor as Designed and Patented by SOHIO.....................5
Figure 5. Activated Carbon Porosity..................................................................... 10
Figure 6. Ultracapacitor Use in a Forklift................................................................14
Figure 7. CNT Forest................................................................................................18
Figure 8. Transmission Electron Microscope Image of Graphene ......................... 19
Figure 9. Relationship Between Average Pore Size and Normalized Specific
Capacitance ............................................................................................................. 20
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Figure 10. CDC Synthesis and Electrochemical Test Cell Preparation Schematic. 21
Figure 11. Volumetric Capacitance of the Films in (A) TEABF4 and (B) H2S04...... 21
Figure 12. MCap Structure................................................................................... 22
Figure 13. Preliminary MCap Test Results........................................................... 23
Figure 14. Summary Chart of MCap Results to Date............................................ 23
Figure 15. Specific Energy and Estimated Costs vs. foMc ...................................... 24
Figure 16. Evolution of Ultracapacitors ............................................................... 26

Tables

Table 1: Contrasting Properties of Batteries and Ultracapacitors........................... 4
Table 2: Manufacturers of Ultracapacitors.............................................................. 7
Table 3: Properties of Various Electrolytes Used in Ultracapacitors....................... 8
Table 4: Properties of Various Materials used in Electrochemical Capacitor
Electrode Materials.................................................................................................9




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Ultracapacitors as Energy and Power Storage Devices for
Commercial and Military Applications
Summary
Ultracapacitors (ultracaps) are energy storage devices capable of extremely
rapid charge and discharge rates with the ability to be cycled hundreds of
thousands of times. These unique capabilities make ultracaps attractive for a
number of applications. The advantages over lithium ion batteries are
somewhat mitigated by the fact that they have less than 10% of the specific
energy (Wh/kg) and require a power converter to regulate their voltage. The
high capacitance is achieved by the enormously high surface area of the
carbon electrodes compared to planar electrolytic capacitors. Ultracapacitors
are commonly used to provide voltage stabilization of power converters and to
supplement peak-power loading of electrical systems. Their application has
expanded from electronics and telecommunications to industrial load leveling
and transportation. Due to their durability, their use in aerospace has been for
munitions fusing and missile power load leveling. Ultimately, application will
be pulsed power storage and delivery for electric propulsion and directed­
energy weapons.

Recent developments in ultracapacitors have focused on different active
materials and electrode designs. By using advanced carbons, polymers, and
metal oxides, increased power density and energy density can be achieved.
Oxide-based thin-film ultracaps have demonstrated high-performance energy
and power density, approaching theoretical limits. Carbon nanotubes and
advanced carbons have been used as additives to and solely as electrode
materials. Nanostructured materials and thin-film manufacturing process
improvements will generate breakthroughs in mass production. Magnetic
capacitors are a recent development, manufactured using semiconductor
processes on silicon wafers. They possess a different storage mechanism and
will transform energy storage and pulsed-power applications. Ultracapacitors
are reaching widespread adoption and they are now available to support
electronics through transportation. New advancements in materials will enable
high-energy density devices with exceptional power capabilities.




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Chapter 1: Concept
Overview
Ultracapacitors, also known as
supercapacitors, hybrid capacitors,
electrochemical capacitors, electrochemical
double-layer capacitors, or ultracaps, are
energy-storage platforms that offer energy
storage capable of extremely rapid charge
and discharge rates. Ultracapacitors also
have the ability to be cycled hundreds of
thousands of times. The phenomenal
charge and discharge capabilities make
them ideal for supporting volatile memory
and computing applications, energy
efficiency/capture processes, and high­
power applications. Ultracaps store their
charge in the electrical double layer
between the electrode and the electrolyte.
Charge storage is a physical mechanism
rather than a chemical phase change, so
these are theoretically capable of cycling an
infinite number of times. 2 One of the            Figure 1. Ultracaps in Various Configurations.'
disadvantages of ultracaps can be a high
self-discharge rate. 3 The charge and discharge voltage output for an ultracap is a
slop ing linear curve, which allows for straightforward and accurate state-of-charge
monitoring. 4 The real advantage of an ultracapacitor is the ability to deliver or accept
bursts of power in a short time.

Ultracaps were introduced in 1966 and found initial use 12 years later as backup power
devices for volatile memory and clocks. Over the last 30 years, numerous advances
have been made that have led to many uses of ultracaps, from transportation to
portable electronics and more. Ultracaps are becom ing more affordable as activated
carbon electrodes and manufacturing improvements have driven costs down. Several
companies now make ultracapacitors to fill a broad spectrum of applications. Figure 1
shows a number of ultracaps with various capacities to fill a range of functions.
Transportation, microelectronics, and aerospace markets are some of the many areas
where ultracaps have become enablers. Advanced materials and improved cell designs
will lead to improvements in both power density and energy density. The improved
performance is expected to make ultracaps important components for efficient power
leveling and high-power receiving and delivery. The unique signature of ultracapacitors
must be understood for aerospace and military applications.

As an electrochemical capacitor, ultracapacitors store energy within the electric double
layer formed at the interface between the electrode and electrolyte. In a conventional
capacitor, the energy is stored by moving charge carriers from one plate to another,
and the charge separation creates a potential. Voltage differentials in a conventional
capacitor are dependent upon the dielectric material separating the plates. In the
ultracap, the electrical double layer is the separation of charge in a vanish ingly thin gap
between two plates. Figure 2 depicts the components and basic design of the ultracap,
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showing the electrochemical double layer responsible for the characteristic
performance. 5 The basic principles of operation have not changed with improved
technologies, only the materials and cell design.
The two electrode plates are traditionally the same material, which is usually a
carbonaceous material, such as activated carbon. Each layer is capable of storing a low
voltage, and multiple layers serve to increase the potential. Individual cells are placed
in series to create a higher voltage, in much the same manner as a battery. Recent
advances in ultracapacitors have moved toward employing dissimilar electrodes, which
create a higher potential; since the electrodes are now different, these are sometimes
referred to as "pseudo" or hybrid capacitors . The pseudocapacitor uses a battery-like
electrode to replace one of the carbon electrodes, yielding a high-energy-storage
electrode and a highly capacitive electrode within the same system.
The capacitance of an ultracapacitor can be determined by the Helmholtz equation
(equation 1), which describes the relationship between the electrolyte and the electrode:
                                         C = EA/d                                      (1)

Here, £ is the dielectric constant of the electrolyte, A is the available surface area, and d
represents the distance between the center of the double layer and the electrode
surface. Increasing the double-layer capacitance in an ultracap is generally
accomplished by either manipulating the electrode (carbon) surface area or the
electrolyte. Energy density (equation 2) is the product of the capacitance and the
square of the voltage:
                                         E = ½ cv 2                                    (2)

Strategies for increasing the stored energy target improvements to both the electrodes
and the electrolyte. Changing from an aqueous electrolyte to an organic electrolyte with
a higher dielectric constant will increase the voltage from approximately 1 volt to more
than 2.5 volts. Increasing the surface area of the electrode is another approach to
increasing storage capability. There is a tradeoff between porosity and surface area that
must be considered when constructing an electrode with an extremely high surface area.
An activated carbon approaching a measured surface area of 3,000 m 2/g may have less
than half that as accessible or useable area. 6 Increasing the pore size sacrifices surface
area but provides more accessible material. By providing more interfacial area between
the electrode and the electrolyte, a better electrochemical double layer can be produced,
yielding a better ultracapacitor.




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                                                                                     Material selection
                                                                                     and construction
    Activated
    carbon                                                                           ■ Electrodes
    electrodes           0000000000                                                  ■ Separator

                                                                                     ■ Electrolyte
    Electrolyte            Separator soaked in electrolyte                           ■ Wound component

                                                                                     ■ Case
                          0000000000
    Activated
    carbon
    electrodes



Figure 2. Operation of an Ultracapacitor. A si mple ultracapacitor ut ilizes two similar electrod es (typica lly
ca rbon) with a separator and electrolyte to create the electrochemica l double layer that governs operation . 7

BATTERIES AND ULTRACAPS
For an ultracapacitor, energy is stored within the electrica l double layer, which is a
physica l storage mechanism . Contrast this with batteries, where charge and discharge
take place through a chemical (Farada ic) reaction . Since charge is stored physically,
there is no direct degradation mechanism that limits cycle life. Side reactions do occur,
which prevents infinite cycle life, but ultracaps can often be cycled tens of millions of
times .8 Batteries store their energy through chemica l reaction; consequently, cycle life
is much shorter and heavily dependent on the depth of discharge . In contrast, there are
no limitations to the discharge depth with an ultracapacitor. Table 1 addresses some of
the general characteristics of batteries and ultracapacitors, which can help to determine
the preferred system for a specified application . The values are based upon 2008 data,
so some numbers are outdated, but the relative va lues remain consistent. There are
now hybrid devices that blur the boundaries further by introducing a battery-like
electrode to replace one of the two identical electrodes in a traditional ultracapacitor.




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             Table 1: Contrasting Properties of Batteries and Ultracapacitors9
           Characteristic
          State of the Art             Lithium Ion Battery          Ultra capacitor
Charge time                                ~3-5 minutes               "'1 second

Discharge time                            ~3-5 minutes                 ~1 second

Cycle life                              <5,000 @ 1C rate               >500,000

Specific Energy (Wh/kg)                     100-200                        5

Specific power (kW/kg)                       0.5 -1                      5-10

Cycle efficiency (%)                     <50% to >90%                <75 to >95%

Cost/Wh                                     $1-2/Wh                   $10-20/Wh

Cost/kW                                    $75-150/kW                 $25-50/kW



The voltage curve for an ultracapacitor is proportional to the depth of discharge,
whereas batteries deliver a relatively constant voltage over a long discharge period. The
sloping voltage curve of an ultracap can be advantageous for state-of-charge
determinations. However, this is also responsible for the decreased energy density
ava ilable in an ultracapacitor. For applications requiring energy to be delivered over a
longer time scale or delivered at a constant voltage, the relatively flat voltage curve
found in most batteries would be the preferred option. In instances where power is to
be delivered or received quickly, or where many cycles are required, an ultracap is ideal.
To better understand the differences between batteries and ultracaps, it helps to think
of batteries as storing watt-hours of energy and ultracaps as storing watts of power. A
Ragone plot illustrates the distinctions by plotting power versus energy in a logarithmic
scale. As can be seen in Figure 3, ultracaps make an excellent option where high power
density is required. The times shown are rough estimates for a full charge or discharge,
which are estimates to help understand the relationship between energy density and
power density. Batteries have made significant improvements to power delivery
recently, but batteries remain the high-energy-density solution . Ultracapacitors are
often thought of as a stop-gap between conventional capacitors and batteries. Recent
developments of hybrid capacitors have led to considerable progress toward higher
energy density. However, there is a tradeoff between high energy density and high­
power devices, and the distinctions between the two require consideration of application
requirements when choosing the energy storage platform for a system. The differences
between ultracaps and batteries do not make the two mutually exclusive. There are
applications where either a battery or an ultracap is the preferred energy storage
platform. Quite often, these two can be used together in systems to perform
complementary roles.




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                                  1000
                        .......             , .. .s

                        -
                        ~
                         C')


                        .c
                        ~
                                   100

                                    10
                                                   Con~entmnal
                                                    battene s
                                                                 1 hour      1 second
                        C'
                        "cii
                         C:                10 hours       _,II _________
                         (I)
                        "C             1
                                                           I
                         >,
                         ...
                         Cl
                         (I)       0.1
                                                           I
                                                      -- '---------              0.03 second
                         C:
                        w
                                  0.01 .___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___,
                                       10                100              1000               10000
                                                       Power density (W/kg)

Figure 3. Ragone Plot. The graph illustrates the areas where ultracaps and batteries dominate in the power
density versus energy density relationship.

HISTORY
The concept of storing electrical energy in the electric double layer that is formed at the
interface between an electrolyte and a solid has been known since t he late 1800s. In
 1966, Standard Oil Company of Ohio (SOHIO) invented the device in the format now
commonly used, which forms the basis for hundreds of patents and t housands of
journal articles. Figure 4 shows a drawi ng from the electrochemical double-layer device
invented by SOHIO. NEC introduced the SuperCapacitor™ in 1978 under license from
SOHIO.

                                  CO     UC. 0'2                                      Ole.




                                                                             SA . Alt(S04 3 50       10



                                                                             lO PEQ.MEABLI:'
                                                                                 Mct.162At-.lc-


Figure 4. Electrolytic Capacitor as Designed and Patented by SOHIO.


From this point on, ultracaps have rapidly evolved through several generations of
designs. In the 1980s, Matsushita Electric Company developed a method of
manufacturing ultracapacitors with improved electrodes. Initially, they were used as
backup power devices for volati le clock chips and complementary metal-oxide­
semiconductor (CMOS) computer memories . As the technology became more
understood, more and more applications were developed for ultracaps. Many other
applications have emerged over the past 30 years, including wireless communication,
power quality, and improved energy efficiency through regenerative energy capture
processes, as found in hybrid electr ic vehicles. 10
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Initial ultracaps used aqueous electrolytes made with Ab(SO4)3 (aluminum sulfate),
H2SO4 (sulfuric acid), or KOH (potassium hydroxide) . While these electrolytes have
excellent ionic conductivity, the operating voltage is limited to 1.2 volts using carbon
electrodes. Organic electrolytes have lower ionic conductivity, but the higher dielectric
constant increases the nominal cell voltage up to as high as 3 volts. Carbon has been
used as a high-surface-area electrode material since the inception of the
electrochemical capacitor. It is still the material of choice for many ultracapacitors; one
of the primary reasons is the low cost of carbon materials. However, there are many
types of carbon that are available for use as an electrode material. In addition to
carbonaceous electrodes, metal oxides and conductive polymers are find ing increasing
use in ultracap design. Advancements in the understanding of the electric double-layer
and ultracapacitor behavior have led to better materials utilization and, consequently,
improved devices.
Early electrochemical capacitors were rated at a few volts and had capacitance values
measured from less than one farad up to several farads. Today cells range in size from
small devices with exceptional pulse-power performance in the millifarad range up to
devices rated at several kilofarads. There are even some specialized ultracapacitor cells
now in production that have ratings of more than 100 kF. The technology is
experiencing increasingly broader use, replacing batteries in some cases and in others
complementing their performance. Ultracap technology has grown into an industry with
sales of several hundred million dollars per year that is poised for rapid growth in the
near term due to expansion of power quality needs and the emerging energy
management/conservation applications. 11
Advancements in ultracapacitors have led to numerous devices from an array of
manufacturers. Table 2 compares the various products on the market, showing voltage,
capacity, power density, and additional energy-storage characteristics. Ultracaps have
moved away from aqueous electrolytes and are typically organic electrolytes due to the
increased voltage performance. Electrodes vary from carbon/carbon systems to hybrid
systems using metal oxides or conductive polymers paired with a carbon electrode.
Packaging and sizes of ultracapacitors covers a large range as these are now used from
cellular communications and small electronics to power delivery and management for
seaport cranes. Ultracapacitor technology development is focusing on delivering better
energy density, and this is being approached by improved carbon electrodes, better
electrolytes, and alternative electrodes that provide pseudocapacitive behavior,
including battery-like electrodes. 12




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                          Table 2: Manufacturers of Ultracapacitors 13

                                                                W/kg      W/kg
                     V         C               RC     Wh/kg    (95%)      Match.   Wgt.     Vol.
     Device        rated      (Fl    R (mOhml (sec}     (1)      (2)     Imped.    (kal     lit.
Maxwell *           2.7      2 885     .375    1.08     4.2      994     8 836       .55    .414
Maxwell             2.7       605       .90    .55     2.35     1 139    9 597       .20    .211
Apowercap **        2.7        55        4     .22      5.5     5,695    50,625     .009     ---
Aoowercap**         2.7       450       1.4    .58     5.89     2,574    24 595     .057    .045
Ness                2.7      1 800      .55    1.00     3.6      975     8 674       .38    .277
Ness                2.7      3 640      .30    1.10     4.2      928     8 010       .65    .514
Ness (cyl.)         2.7      3 160       .4    1.26     4.4      982     8 728      .522     .38
Asahi Glass (pc)    2.7      1,375      2.5    3.4      4.9      390     3,471      .210    .151
                                                                                   (est.)
 Panasonic (oc)     2.5    1 200      1.0      1.2       2.3      514      4 596     .34   .245
 EPCOS              2.7    3 400      .45      1.5      4.3       760      6 750     .60    .48
 LS Cable           2.8    3 200      .25      .80      3.7      1 400    12 400     .63    .47
 BatScao            2.7    2 680      .20      .54      4.2      2 050    18 225     .50   .572
 Power Sys. (AC,    2.7    1,350      1.5      2.0      4.9       650      5,785     .21   .151
IPC) **
 Power Sys. (GC,    3.3    1,800      3.0      5.4      8.0       486      4,320     .21    .15
 pc)**              3.3    1 500      1.7      2.5      6.0       776      6 903     .23    .15
 Fuji Heavy         3.8    1,800      1.5      2.6      9.2      1,025    10,375    .232   .143
 Industry- hybrid
l(AC/GC) **
 JSR Micro          3.8    1,000       4        4       11.2      900      7,987    .113   .073
 (AC/GC)* *                2 000      1.9      3.8      12.1     1 038     9 223    .206   .132
 (1) Energy density at 400 W/kg constant power, Vrated - 1/2 Vrated
 (2) Power based on P=9/16 * (1-EF) * V2/R, EF=efficiency of discharge
 * Except where noted, all the devices use acetonitrile as the electrolyte (pc = propylene
 carbonate)
 AC = Activated Carbon; GC = Graphitic Carbon
 ** Laminated oouches; all other devices are oackaaed in metal containers




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Chapter 2: Materials Technology
The standard electrochemica l capacitor is made of two electrodes, an electrolyte, and a
separator, packaged in either a metal container or a laminated pouch. Ultracapacitors
are often packaged in a fash ion similar to a typical battery configuration. The separator
is an ultrathin material that allows ion transport but is electrically insulating. There are
several polymer separators on the market that have the desired porosity needed to
create fast ion transport. The electrodes are traditionally the same material in an
ultracapacitor-this is in stark contrast to a battery. Electrodes are typically carbon; this
is advantageous in making a cost-effective energy/power-storage device . Activated
carbon has a very high surface area, vital to storing energy in the electrica l double
layer between the electrode and the electrolyte. This th in double layer is responsible for
the impressive high-power-storage capabilities of the ultracapacitor. The electrolyte's
resistivity and dielectric constant play a vital role in behavior of the double layer;
consequently, the choice of electrolyte impacts performance.
The earliest electrochemical capacitors were introduced 30+ years ago; they were
symmetric designs (two identical electrodes) in aqueous electrolyte. Wh ile these
electrolytes have excellent ionic conductivity, the operating cell voltage was limited to
~1.2 V/cell and these had a nominal cell rating of ~0 .9 volts . In the second generation
of electrochemical capacitors, the use of organic electrolyte led to an increase of the
rated cell voltage from about 0.9 V/cell to 2.3-2.7 V/cell. Today, ultracapacitors using
an organic electrolyte are the most popular. 14
ELECTROLYTES
Initial ultracaps used aqueous electrolytes, saturated with Al2(SO4)3, or 30%
concentrations of H2SO4 or KOH. While these electrolytes have excellent ionic
conductivity, the operating voltage is limited to 1.2 volts using carbon electrodes.
Improvements to ultracapacitor performance were made by transitioning from aqueous
electrolytes to an organic medium. Organic electrolytes have lower ionic conductivity,
but the higher breakdown potential increases the nominal cell voltage. An increase in
cell voltage up to as high as 3 volts has been realized by use of an organ ic electrolyte.
These electrolytes are typically an ammonium salt dissolved in an organic solvent, such
as propylene carbonate or aceton itrile. Table 3 highlights the comparison between the
various electrolytes used in ultracapacitors. Ionic liquids are beginn ing to become more
common in ultracapacitors , as they allow for an increase in cell voltage to as high as 4
vol t s. These ionic li quids have a higher resist ivity, especi ally at lower t emperatures . The
tradeoff in resistivit y for voltage may be beneficial for some high -power applicati ons.
           Table 3: Properties of Various Electrolytes Used in Ultracapacitors 1 5

         Electrolyte               Density                Resistivity               Cell
                                 (am/cm3)                 (Ohm-cm)                 Voltaae
KOH                                 1.29                       1.9                   1.0
Sulfuric acid                        1.2                     1.35                    1.0
Propyl en e carbonate                1.2                       52                  2.5- 3.0
Acetonitrile                        0.78                       18                  2.5-3 .0
                                                          125 (25°C)                 4. 0
I onic liquid                      1. 3- 1.5
                                                          28 ( 100°C)               3 .2 5



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ELECTRODES
Carbon has been the optimal electrode material for ultracapacitors since their
commercial introduction over 30 years ago. Pseudocapacitor systems use a combination
of a carbon electrode and a battery-like electrode, such as a conductive polymer or a
metal oxide. The hig h surface area of carbon makes it an extremely attractive option
for ultracap electrodes. Carbon chemistry is quite we ll known, and hig h surface area
and low cost ensures carbo n's cont inued use for the near future. While carbon has been
used in electrochemica l systems for many years, there are many nua nces that make its
properties and performance vary significantly amongst the many types of carbon. The
use of a carbon electrode makes ultracaps affordable for use in many systems.
Activated carbon is readily available, can be made from many source materia ls, and is
inexpensive . Materials science activities for electrodes are focused on improving the
carbon electrodes and introduci ng alternat ive materia ls to create an asymmetric
electrode.
Types of carbon can include activated carbon, carbon cloth, aerogels, porous carbon,
carbon nanotubes, and graphene. The properties of carbon can change dramatically
based upon processing, having a major im pact to the porosity and active surface area.
Activated carbon has an extremely high surface area, is inexpensive, and is produced at
a global scale for use in a number of applications. For these reasons, activated carbon
is the traditional carbon of choice for ultracapacitor applications. Recent advances in
carbon materials development have led to a number of options for ultracapacitor
electrodes. Table 4 demonstrates a number of electrode materials in use today and t he
corresponding performance of these ultracaps.


Table 4: Properties of Various Materials Used in Electrochemical Capacitor
Electrode Materials 16
                             Density
          Material           (g/cm 3 )          Electrolyte          F/g       F/cm 3
Activated Carbon               0.7                  KOH              160        112
                                                  Oroanic            100        70
Carbon Cloth                   0.35                 KOH              200        70
                                                  Organic            100        35
Aerogel Carbon                 0.6                  KOH               75
                                                  Orqanic            125         84
Porous Carbon from SiC         0.7                  KOH              175        122
                                                  Oroanic            100         70
Porous Carbon from TiC          0.5                 KOH              220        110
                                                  Organic            120         60
Anhydrous RuO2                 2.7              Sulfuric Acid        150        405
Hvdrous RuO2                   2.0              Sulfuric Acid        650       1 300
Doped Conductive Polvmer       0.7                Orqanic            450        315




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Activated carbons are synthesized by a heat treatment of carbon-rich organ ic
precursors in a controlled atmosphere. This carbon ization process can be performed
from natural sources, such as fru it shells, wood, pitch, or coke. Activated carbons can
also be produced from synthetic precursors, such as select polymers. The heat
treatment process uses a controlled partial oxidation of the precursor combined with a
high-temperature processing. The high-temperature processing can be done in an inert
atmosphere, an oxidizing environment, or with a chemical modification. The activated
carbons conta in a distributed porous network throughout, as shown in Figure 5.17 These
materials can have an extremely high surface area, upward of 3,000 m 2/g, but process
conditions to create activated carbons have little control over pore size distribution,
resulting in incomplete utilization of the surface area. Carbon cloth electrodes use
processi ng conditions sim ilar to those used to create activated carbons. The advantage
with a fabric composed of activated carbon is t hese materials are directly used as active
electrodes, requiring no binder or additional processing. However, these tend to be
expensive to produce, which has thus far limited their use to specialized applications.

                                                          rnacroporcs >50 run



                                               ~   -1--   mi r pre <2nm
                                                          mesopore   2-50nm



Figure 5. Activated Carbon Porosity. These can be produced with a distribution of pore sizes ranging from less
than 2 nm to greater than SO nm .

Continued improvements to the carbon electrodes are expected to provide additional
performance enhancement to ultracaps. Current research is leading toward carbon
materials with higher specific capacitance (F/g). Improved materials, such as carbon
nanotubes and tailored porous carbons show promise as the next generation of carbon
materials. Graphene is another advanced carbon material that shows promise to
providing increased capacitance. One of the key design issues revolves around
improved understanding of the relationship between the carbon pore size and the
electrolyte ion. The nanostructured materials allow fine tuning of the porous structure
to increase capacitance.
Ca rbon nanotubes (CNTs) are commonly produced as powders where they can be cast
as a distributed network to form an electrode, and they can be used as an additive to
increase conductivity. Additionally, CNTs can be grown as a "forest," where the CNTs
are grown perpendicu lar to a substrate. These forests can be used as is or can be
modified or coated to change specific structural or electronic properties. CNTs are
grown by a number of methods, but most methods used currently are a derivative of a
chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The specific properties of the nanotubes are
extremely tailorable. CNT length, diameter, the number of tubes, and t he electronic
properties can all be tailored by growth conditions. The catalysts used to grow CNTs can
affect tube properties, as well as CNT temperature and precursor variables. Carbon
nanotubes are finding utility in both battery and ultracapacitor applications, where they
are used for conductivity enhancement and energy storage. Their capacitive behavior
suggests they may have a fundamentally different storage mechanism than traditional
carbon. Storage potential includes CNT outer walls, inner diameter, and interwall spaces
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of some CNT types. Carbon nanotubes have been a rich area of study for many
applications, which has translated to a broad understanding of synthesis techniques to
produce CNTs with tailorable properties.
Graphene can be thought of as a sheet of graphite, either a single layer or a few layers
thick. The two-dimensional nature of graphene leads to extremely high electron
transport across the surface, interesting magnetic properties, high strength, and a large
accessible surface area. 18 Graphene is generally made by exfoliation/separation of
graphite or grown by CVD processes. Derivations from both of these methods can
produce single-layer graphene or few-layer graphene. These methods include, but are
not limited to, CVD methods, epitaxia l growth, solvothermal synthesis, micromechanical
exfoliation, and colloidal synthesis. 19 Graphene has generated an enormous amount of
attention due to its potential for transforming electronics. A number of approaches to
graphene synthesis are being used that consider purity, scalability, and cost.
Carbide-derived carbons are a unique class of porous carbons with extremely fine
control over pore size. 20 These porous carbons are derived by chlorination of metal
carbides at very high temperatures. At temperatures of 500-1000°C, metals and
metalloids are removed as chlorides, leaving behind a finely tunable nanoporous carbon.
These porous carbons have a pore-size distribution that is tunable within
0.05 nm. The extremely accurate tunability has allowed these systems to serve as a
model for the relationship of pore size and capacitance, thereby allowing for design of
materials to be tailored for maximum capacitance within a specific system. The local
maximum in capacitance is dependent on the ion salvation sphere, which is a product of
the electrolyte ion, solvent, and interaction with the pores of the electrode. These
findings will lead to new electrode materials and designs.
Activated carbon and other porous carbon derivatives are commonly used for
symmetric ultracapacitors. Metal oxides such as ruthenium oxide and conductive
polymers replace one of the electrodes to create an asymmetric system. Asymmetric
electrodes greatly increase the storage capacity of ultracapacitors. These are a different
class of capacitor, as they store their charge both in the electrica l double layer and
using a surface redox (faradaic) reaction (in the same manner as a battery). While
these undergo electron transfer reactions, they behave in a capacitive fashion. Often
termed pseudocapacitor, this class of materials includes a variety of metal oxides and
conductive polymers. The capacitance of an asymmetric electrode is twice that of a
symmetric design. The electron transfer electrode essentially has a fixed potential,
whereas the potential of the carbon electrode changes with state of charge. Add itional
storage capacity arises from the higher working voltage, due to the different rest
potentials of the different electrodes.
Asymmetric electrodes are becoming increasingly common due to the increased energy­
storage capability. As energy is proportional to the voltage squared, the higher
operating voltage has profound effects on the capacity. Ruthenium oxide (RuO2) has
been shown to give capacitance of as high as 1300 F/cm 3 • By comparison,
carbonaceous materials in an aqueous electrolyte have a capacitance of 110-125 F/cm 3 .
There are many additional metal oxides being investigated for insertion into the
ultracapacitor system. Many of these have their roots in lithium ion battery cathode
materials. As ultracaps gain wider acceptance, market size is increasing rapidly and is
expected to grow at an increasing pace. Investigations are being conducted into
alternative metal oxide systems to ensure that cost, supply, and performance can be
met on a global scale. Manganese oxide (MnO2) and nickel metal oxides/hydroxides are
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leading alternative candidates for asymmetric ultracaps. Using a pseudocapacitive
design will most likely not be able to deliver the cycle life of a symmetric ultracap, but it
may be possible to achieve tens of thousands of cycles out of a battery-like electrode.
Better capacitance and higher operating voltage of the asymmetric electrode design
allow ultracapacitors to begin approaching batteries in terms of energy density.
Additional ultracapacitor improvements will come from materials and cell design. Cell
design factors include optimization and assembly techniques. Thinner electrodes and
current collectors will be one of the primary paths for better performance. Electrolytes
that provide cell voltages of at least 3 volts will be standard. Improvements such as
these will likely lead to improvements in commercially available ultracaps from 4 Wh/kg
to 5-6 Wh/kg. 21




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Chapter 3: Applications
ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
The most straightforward application of an ultracapacitor is to stabilize de voltages,
which is where they have found widespread use. Areas where a dip in voltage may
occur and negatively impact performance is another natural fit for ultracaps. Initially,
they were used as backup power for clock chips and CMOS memory; now, they find
utility in power smoothing, flash photography, and digital cameras. Flash for mobile
phone cameras is an ever-increasing market. Nearly one billion phones equipped with
cameras were sold in 2009. Ultracaps enable flash photography integrated with mobile
communication. Today's market is driving toward electronics devices with multiple
functions to eliminate the need for multiple specialized electronics that each performs
one task. Integrating components into one electronic device requires the use of
ultracapacitors to help stabilize the short power spikes from the individual components.
Ultracaps also serve to reduce thermal loading from power dissipation.
Ultracaps have found extensive application in wireless communication, where they are
used in wireless data cards for GSM, GPRS, and WiMAX data transmission. The peak
current required during data transmission can exceed what is available under USB or
PC-card standards, and the excess current is delivered with an ultracapacitor.
Automated meter reading is another application where ultracaps have become an
integral component, as the power required to send and receive the meter information is
handled by an ultracapacitor. The mobile telecomm industry is currently using these in
a number of ways; it is likely that additional uses for ultracaps will spring up along with
needs to balance power requirements for increasingly complex and multifunctional
devices contained within smaller areas.
INDUSTRIAL
Industrial applications are becoming much more ubiquitous as ultracaps are being used
as a platform to deliver a large amount of power qu ickly. These are becom ing
increasing ly important in cranes, forklifts, elevators, and power tools. As an example,
power is stored by an ultracapacitor in hybrid forklifts every time a loading fork
descends. The stored power is then delivered to the forklift when heavy lifting is
required. Figure 6 shows the power requirements for a hybrid forklift. The peak power
pulses are areas where using an ultracap to deliver or to receive the power greatly
improves the operational efficiency. The blue shaded area represents the power
distribution handled by a fuel cell, and the tan regions above and below the blue area
represents the output from and the input to the ultracapacitor, respectively. 22 In cranes
and elevators, a sim ilar application is used . Peak power is supplied for lift operations by
the ultracap. During descent of the elevator or lowering of the loaded crane, generated
power can be used to recharge the ultracapacitor. Power tools are becom ing
increasing ly disconnected from an outlet. Many of these cordless power tools require
significant amounts of peak power, which many batteries cannot adequately supply.
The ultracapacitor used in conjunction with a high energy battery supplies the pulse
power required during heavy use.




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                                                           Ult truck opercrtl ng profile
                                35 ~     ::.::.-=--=--=--=--=-- - - - - - - - -~~===--=- ~




                         f JJI -
                         J!
                                ~
                                l0
                                    5
                                                        - -'~ ~ ~~ J
                                                                 Fuel-<.ell output
                                                                                           [~~ J1L
                                    0 t - -""ffltTft''Mt---itlr--"'fflltM----,-m-rimr,,,_"'""rrm--tt-,-i

                               -5

                              - 100                                     l                             2
                        Scuru : G       I Hydrogen                   lime (hr)


Figure 6. Ultracapacitor Use in a Forklift. Ultracaps provide energy storage upon descent of a load and deliver
peak power to lift heavy loads in fuel cell powered forklifts. 23

Grid storage management is gaining more visibility as energy conservation and
efficiency are becoming increasingly important. Many utility power sources generate a
relatively continuous supply of electricity. The generated power is matched to expected
use statistics. Daytime use and nighttime rest periods can cause power shortages or
generate unused power if not managed efficiently. This is especially true during the hot
summer months or heat waves, where air conditioning loads can tax a system.
Ultracapacitors can store excess power generated in the night, which can t hen be
delivered when insufficient power is available to match the daytime needs. Distributed
power sources such as wind and solar require a higher level of operational efficiency
with a fluctuating power supply. Wind farms experience power fluctuations due to wind
shear or lack thereof. These spikes in power generation may be wasted on a system ill­
equipped to handle the burst of power delivered. During periods where wind may be
lacking, ultracapacitors can be used to help create a more stabilized power supply.
TRANSPORTATION
Earliest uses of ultracapacitors were in motor startup for tanks and submarines. Early
adoption by t he military led to cost reduct ions, which was a critical enabler for
incorporation into diesel trucks and railroad locomotives. Ultracapacitors are find ing use
in transportation in engine startup, braking systems, acceleration, and waste-energy
harvesting. Ultracaps have been placed in ra il cars to generate power for acceleration
and recapture it during braking. In some cases, they are placed alongside the tracks,
and t he power management is hosted by the ra il stations.
The ability to absorb and discharge energy rapidly makes ultracapacitors far better than
batteries for regenerative braking schemes. Most of these applications have been in
public transportation. Regenerative braking can recuperate as much as 38% of the
propulsion energy when used in an ultracap/battery hybrid configuration. Electric hybrid
public buses were some of the first adopters of ultracapacitors for automotive
transportation. These buses also use ultracaps for acceleration, which enables a much
faster acceleration.




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AEROSPACE
Ultracapacitors are suitable for applications requ iring large bursts of power for relatively
short periods of time, with the ability to be recharged rapidly. Ultracapacitors are
find ing ubiquitous use in electronics and transportation, and there are a number of
applications in aerospace rang ing from backup power to high pulse-power delivery. The
electronics systems in military vehicles requi re failsafe operation; ultracaps can be
designed to provide a continuous power source in the event of a power interruption.
Fire-control systems are another example where continuous power is requ ired,
including higher power capability. Ai rbags require a backup power source to ensu re
they are deployed as requ ired with or without a powered system. Small portable
communications systems have ultracaps for backup power and to reta in memory.
Memory retention is critical in many systems; for example, the bridge power used
during a transfer from ground to onboard power in aircraft systems can be supplied by
an ultracap. Ultracaps are excellent for stabilizing the power that is either delivered or
received. For example, communication systems may requ ire additional power during
transmission, which can be offset by using an ultracap to supplement the system. Bus
voltages may need peak current stab ilization.
The high-power capabilities of ultracaps make them advantageous for severa l systems.
The fast discharge is ideal for delivering the significantly higher power required for
starting cold engines. Active suspension systems in vehicles require bursts of power
that are delivered in response to the terra in; an ultracap can store the necessary power,
del iver as necessary, and recharge quickly. GPS -guided missiles and projectiles may
use ultracapacitors to provide the power required for commun ication and navigation.
High-power discharge for naval systems has been identified as an area where ultracaps
are especially useful, often used in hybrid systems in tandem with high-energy
batteries. Extremely high power delivery makes ultracapacitors a potential veh icle for
del ivering the power required for directed-energy weapons. As pseudocapacitive
systems reach higher energy densities, along with improvements to the materials and
cell composition, ultracapacitors will have capabilities of delivering large amounts of
power in a very short time, conta ined within an increasingly smaller footprint.
Signatures and Vulnerabilities
As mentioned above, ultracapacitors could be important in the development of
ultrawideband energy weapons. Previously, this market has been dominated by bulk
acoustic semiconductor switch (BASS) devices, but by stringing several capacitors
together in parallel, a more formidable discharge can be created. Because
ultracapacitors have very high discharge rates, they will emit a distinctive broadband RF
signature when discharged. A modest wideband receiver may be ab le to detect this
discharge; its proxim ity wi ll depend upon the construction of the target device.
Furthermore, the architecture of such a device may yield a unique signature that, with
the proper equipment, can be identified and certa inly warrants further study. When
employed in a particular electronic device, this signature may be altered by its
immediate envi ronment, and th is may further give an indication of both the type of use
and device employed. When searching for ultracaps in the field that are not in use, the
large electrostatic potentials may provide a clue.




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Stimulated Discharge
Depending on the application and the implementation and construction of ultracaps in
sensitive or destructive applications, vulnerabilities likely exist and warrant study in
areas of research such as circuit vulnerability analysis, reversible manufacturing and
construction techniques used in fabrication, stimulation of nondestructive and controlled
discharge evaluations, and laboratorY: stimulated discharge experiments.




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Chapter 4: Recent Developments
There have been several recent advances in ultracapacitors focused on increasing
energy density by using different active materials 24 and designs, 25 activated carbons, 26
polymers, 27 and metal oxides. 28 Conducting polymers have good performance, 29 but
lack microfabrication protocols. Oxide-based t hin-film ultracaps have shown high
performance, approaching t he theoretical limit for capacitance ( ~1,000 F/g for MnO2). 30
However, the poor electrical conductivity and high impedances associated with surface
intercalation redox reactions of these oxides have limited practical film thicknesses to a
few microns. Carbon nanotubes have been added to the films to increase the electrical
conductivity, but the complexity of manufacturing limits practical applications of such
composite electrodes. In th is section we will discuss advances in appl ication of CNT and
advanced carbons to ultracapacitor materials, the application of thin-film manufacturing
processes, and a revolutionary new super capacitor using a giant magneto capacitive
effect.
CNTS AND ADVANCED CARBONS
Carbon electrodes constitute both electrodes in a symmetric ultracapacitor and one of
the electrodes in an asymmetric, or pseudocapacitive, design. Improvements to the
carbon electrode rely upon increasing the specific capacitance (in Farads per gram).
These improvements come by tailoring the surface area and porosity to achieve the
best balance t hat maximizes the interaction with the electrolyte. There is a linear
relationship to the surface area and the capacitance up to a point where capacitance
plateaus with activated carbons. By controlling the porosity and surface area, it is
possible to increase the capacitance beyond this plateau. Carbon nanotubes could
provide performance increases with aligned CNT forests of tailored sizes. The
characteristics of an ultracapacitor are highly dependent on the nanostructure of the
carbon used for the thin-film electrodes. Advanced carbons will provide better control
over the pore size and distribution, leading to an expected 50- to 100-percent
improvement over the carbons in use today .
Carbon nanotubes can be produced with a wide variety of properties. Depending on
synthesis parameters, nanotubes can be single walled or multiwalled, with varying
numbers of tubes. CNT diameters can be tailored from a few nanometers to tens of
nanometers, with lengths up to hundreds of microns. CNTs can be grown in random
orientations or as aligned forests. CNTs have a fully accessible surface area and very
high electrical conductivity. Methods for incorporating CNTs into electrodes for ultracaps
include using CNTs as an additive for conductivity enhancement, creating dense mats of
ra ndomly oriented tubes, and creating electrodes from vertically aligned forests of
tubes . Initial results of CNT-enabled ultracaps tended to show much lower capacitance
than expected, which has been attributed to the hydrophobic nature of the CNT walls.
Surface functionalization is a common approach to mitigating the hydrophobicity issues
and t hus enabling higher capacitance. Another benefit of the functionalization is the
ability to introduce and control pseudocapacitance.
Most efforts in CNT ultracaps are directed toward vertica lly aligned forests. It is possible
to controllably grow a dense, aligned forest that is perpendicular to the current collector.
The size and density of the tubes and the number of walls can be controlled with
catalyst design and reaction parameters. Manipulation of t he CNT forest leads to
increased capacitance by fine -tuning the distance between tubes. Additionally, fine-

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tuning the inner diameter may provide further enhancements. Figure 7 shows a
vertically aligned CNT forest produced at Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology
Center (LMATC). Lockheed Martin has worked with a number of catalysts and surfaces
to grow tailored CNT forests for a variety of applications. Select locations throughout
Lockheed Martin have been developing CNT-based technologies, utilizing vertically
aligned CNTs, CNTs dispersed onto surfaces, and CNTs dispersed into other media.
LMATC possesses expertise in CNT growth processes and characterization and has
capabilities for both materials development and ultracap testing. Lockheed Martin's
NEARLab facility produces CNT-coated glass fibers, which may provide a cost-effective
power storage solution that has structural elements built in. Ultracaps assembled from
CNT forests appear extremely promising for use in microelectronics.




Figure 7. CNT Forest. CNT forests grown in Lockheed Martin's laboratories can be tailored for specific sizes,
lengths, and densities .

Graphene is a relatively new discovery amongst carbonaceous materials. There are a
number of types of graphene that can be characterized by the number of layers of
graphene, the functionalization, or the oxidation status. Most graphene for
ultracapacitor applications is going to be few-layer graphene and large-area flakes. The
fewer the layers, the higher the active surface area will be. Single layer is ideal, but
manufacturing considerations make single layer difficult, even at the laboratory scale.
Functionalization will be directed toward improving capacitance or modifications to
enable battery-like performance.
Theoretical values of graphene indicate it could become an important material for the
next generation of ultracapacitors. Graphene may be used as the sole electrode
material, or it cou ld be used as a conductive additive that also provides capacitance.
The surface area is calculated to be as high as 2,600 m 2/g, the thermal conductivity is
5,000 W/m·K, and the charge carrier mobility is 200,000 cm 2/V•s. High surface area
values and great conductivity are ideal properties for creating an electrode with very
high capacitance and extremely favorable rate capabilities. Reported capacitances
ra nge from 135 to 205 F/g in aqueous electrolytes. 31 • 32 Figure 8 shows a transmission
electron microscope image of graphene flakes used for ultracapacitor electrodes. These
measurements come from few-layer graphene, rat her than single layer, which suggest
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there is room for improvement on these values. Optimization of graphene synthesis to
produce finer control is an area receiving increased attention in research and
development activities in universities, national labs, and industria l research facilities.
Lockheed Martin is actively engaged in research investigating graphene and appl ications
where graphene could be a critical differentiator. There are a number of companies that
supply graphene made from various methods, as well as emerging startups geared
toward producing graphene-based ultracapacitors or materials designed for ultracaps.




Figure 8. Transmission Electron Microscope Image of Graphene. This could be an excellent ultracapacitor
electrode material with its hig h surface area and excellent conductivity. 33

Manipulation of the porosity of high surface area carbons leads to the largest difference
in specific capacitance . Understanding the relationship between the electrolyte ion size
and the carbon pore size is critical to improving performance. There are a number of
strategies being investigated for fine control over the pore-size distribution to increase
the specific capacitance. The most common methods used currently are template
methods and carbide-derived carbons. Template methods create a controlled
mesoporous structure with a fairly narrow range. These structures have pores that
range from 2 to 10 nanometers and are maximized to pore sizes roughly twice that of
the solvated ions. The template process involves filling the pores of an inorganic
template host with a carbon precursor (such as an alumina template). The template is
removed after carbonization by acid treatment . The pore size is then dictated by the
template as t he pores are the remaining void space once occupied by the template .
Simi lar methods have shown that smaller pores, including those less than two
nanometers, may provide high specific capacitance. The realizati on t hat smaller pores
contribute to charge storage in an electric double layer has led to the need to develop a
better understand ing of the charge storage mechanism.
Carbide-derived carbons have a unique pore-size distribution that is tunable with sub­
angstrom accuracy. These have served as models to study the charge storage behavior
and ion adsorption in pore sizes ranging from 0.6 nm to 1.1 nm. 34 The normalized
capacitance decreases with decreasing pore size until a critical value is reached.
Figure 9 shows t he relationship between average pore size and the normalized specific
capacitance. Pore sizes smaller than one nanometer significantly contribute to the
charge storage despite the fact that the solvated ion size is larger than the pore
diameter. The capacitance increase is explained by a distorted ion shell model. The ion
salvation shell is perturbed such that it is capable of a closer approach of the ion and
the carbon surface. The discoveries at Drexel University that util ize the fine control to
create tailored porous carbon structures can maximize specific capacitance for a given
ultracapa citor system.

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                               15
                                        Ill   II


                          't-Y
                          °! 10
                                                           ~
                                                           (Cll,Cfl1 ),N•
                                                         0.68rvnclame.

                           I
                           I   s
                                                           0




                               0 L - - + - - 1 - - - - ========:'.....J .__ ____,...
                                    0                               3       s
                                                   Aveqge pore Size {Ml)

Figure 9. Relationship Between Average Pore Size and Normalized Specific Capacitance. As the average
pore size decreases below 1 nm, the specific capacitance increases due to distorted electrolyte Ion salvation .

THIN FILMS
CNT films have been used in 2D thin-film ultracapacitors having respectable gravimetric
and volumetric capacitance. Activated carbon powders have a better performance in
terms of energy per unit area, 35 but they need to be processed into films before use,
and th is limits their choice for microdevice fabrication, which allows mass production of
capacitors on semiconductor wafers. Carbide-derived carbo n (CDC) is a class of carbon
materials produced by selectively etching metals from meta l carbides using chlorine at
elevated temperatures in a process similar to current dry-etching techniques used in
MEMS and microchip fabrication. CDC has been shown to have excellent performance as
the active material in traditionally processed ultracaps 36 since it can have its
microstructure precisely tuned by ta iloring the synthesis conditions for a particular
electrolyte. 37
For microfabricated supercapacitors, CDC is attractive for several reasons. The
precursor carbides are conductive and can be deposited in uniform t hin and th ick films
by well-known chemical and physical vapor deposition (CVD and PVD) techniques. 38 I n
addition, the chlorination process can be performed at tempe ratures at least as low as
200°C, 39 and the resulting coatings are well-adhered with an atomically perfect
interface, 40 which minimizes device impedance. This technology can be used to produce
the microfabricated ultracaps on the same chip as the integrated circuits, which they
are powering (shown in Figure 10). 41 Chlorine-containing plasma etching of materials in
semiconductor manufacturing is a well-established technique and is similar to the
chlorination procedure in CDC manufacturing. Continuous porous carbon films cannot
be produced by conventional CVD, PVD, or other techniques, and the high-temperature
activation needed to produce the microstructures necessary for ultracapacitor
performance in CVD carbons would destroy the devices they were intended to power.




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                                                                                               TIC plate        -   CDC film
                  Sintered TIC plate
                                     \                                                D        Teflon pla tes
                                                                                      -        Electrolyte + eparator



                                                                                C-CDC fi lm




                                                                      2. C II a           embly
Figure 10. CDC Synthesis and Electrochemical Test Cell Preparation Schematic. 42

Electrochemical measurements of CDC films were carried out in a three-electrode
configuration with a large, overcapacitive activated carbon counter-electrode in both lM
TEABF4 and lM H2SO4, as well as two-electrode cells with symmetric bu lk CDC film
electrodes. Volumetric capacitance was calcu lated for each of the different film
thicknesses (shown in Figure 11). For both TEABF4 and H2SO4, the volumetric
capacitance decreases with increasing coating t hickness. Th is is especia ll y pro nounced
in the organic electro lyte, where there is a huge increase in volumetric capacitance as
the film thickness decreases from 200 to ~2 mm.
            A                                                  B
                    180                                               180
           6j'                                                 r;,
            E 160                                              E      160
           .!:?
           ~ 140
            Q)
                                                               ~ 140
                                                               ¢1
            0                                                  0
            C:      120                                        C:     120
            l!!                                                19
                                                               'ij
           -~ 100                                                     100
            a.                                                 ~
            ca                                                 <11
            0       80                                         0       80
            0                                                  0
           ·c:
            '1ii
             E
                    60                                         ~
                                                               E
                                                                       60                                           •
             :::,                                              :::,
            g 40                         •                     g 40
                    20                                                 20
                          0    50    100     150   200   250                0    20       40    60   80    100 120 140
                               Coating thickness (µm)          Coaling thickness (µm)
Figure 11. Volumetric Capacitance of the Films in (A) TEABF4 and ( B) H2S0 4.43

MAGNETIC CAPACITORS
Giant magneto capacitance (GMC) is a qua ntum mechanical effect observed in t hi n-fi lm
structures composed of alternating ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic layers. 44• 45 Such
materials have been reported to have increased permittivity by 10 9 . 46 This material
behavior norma lly occurs at tempe ratures we ll below 273K and has only recently been
reported in the literature above this temperature.47 However, since 2007, Northern
Lig hts Semiconductor Corp. {N LSC) has been developing a magnetic capacitor {MCap)
that utilizes a material which exhibits the GMC above 300K.
Structured like the basic flat-plate capacitor, an MCap nanocell featu res a proprietary
dielectric layer sandwiched between two magnetized layers. Each magnetic material
layer is made of multiple nanometer-thick thi n-film layers. Millions of MCap nanocells
are created and linked using a semiconductor thin-fi lm process, producing the MCap cell
on a wafer {Figure 12).
                                                                                                                               21
                              UN CLASSIFIEO/fFOA OFFl€il.t.k YSE O,.Llf
                     UNCLASSIFIED1/FOR 8ffl@IAL tt91! e"t I

                                                             r------- /
              MCap nanocell                              /                                     /
                                   1.6µm
                        o.55µmJ•            •I       /                                     /
    Magnetic materials            "'i            /                                     /
         Dielectric layer - -                                                      /       MCap cell
    Magnetic materials     ,----,•...____                                      /           Made up of millions
 (all proprietary compositions)         /                                  /               MCap nanocells
                                      ~- - - - - - - - ../
Figure 12. MCap Structure. MCap nanocell and MCap cell are fabricated using traditional semiconductor
fabrication processes .

MCap cells are then packaged into larger MCap modules. The capacitance of the device
is given by the equation , C = so k A/d, where A is the area of the plate, d is the
separation between plates, so the permittivity of free space, and k is t he dielectric
constant (or relative permittivity) of the material. The MCap increases capacitance by
increasing the dielectric constant k through the GMC effect (fGMc) given by t he
relationship, k' = k*fGMc- GMC acts like a charge trap that brings electrons closer, thus
increasing electron densities at the plates. Based on quantum theory, GMC brings about
a capacitance which, to date, has been measured to be 109 times larger than that
observed in electrostatic capacitors. As shown earlier in equation (2), energy is
proportional to the capacitance and the voltage squared. Moreover, capacitor leakage
and self-discharge are essentially eliminated as electrons are "trapped" in the magnetic
field.
Due to the above effects, the available energy for a large range of storage devices, like
smart cards and other products, can be increased substantially by simply packaging
them in series-parallel connected modules to meet the energy and voltage
requirements. Coupled with Lockheed Martin's extensive nanomaterials and device
physics experience, it is likely that NLSC will be able to use its MRAM development
expertise to accomplish this.
Experimental Results
Over the last year, NLSC has had MCap structures and nanocells tested by independent
parties with results shown in Figure 13. These unbiased tests demonstrate the validity
of the high-capacitance claims. Figure 14 quantifies the progress in improved
performance throughout the development of the device. The number of devices that
demonstrate the GMC behavior has increased substantially in 2009, which is reportedly
due to improved materials development rather than an increased production load. The
performances of the nanocells as well as the variability are plotted, which shows that
potential improvement in the materials could lead to an increased GMC factor. There is
promising evidence that improvements may allow a higher level of performance, which
could match lithium ion batteries at ambient temperature and perhaps exceed them at
low and high temperatures.




22
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                            UNCLASSIFIED1/FOR 8ffl@IAL tt.!! 8flt I

                                                                                                  Frequency vs Glpacitance
    0.20F                     4284A-pad 01, Cp                                                    a CSMmV       !Vn,/   tn 4M
                                                                          5.0
                                          -+-AClVrms,0\/dc
   180000 + - --il-+-- - - - ----1 ....,.ACtVnns, 1Vdc                    4.5
                                                                                     \,                                         -
                                                                                                                                 -
                                                                                                                                 -
                                                                                                                                     No.l._41/\..W
                                                                                                                                     No. 1_41.A_IV
                                                                                                                                     ~. 1_411\._lV
                                                                                                                                                        -
                                                                                                                                                        -
   160000 + - - " ' - + - - - - - - - - 1 --+--AC.tVrms, 3Vdc                                                                    -
                                                                                                                                 -
                                                                                                                                     No.1_41A_SV
                                                                                                                                     No.1_41A....10V

   140000                                      AC.tVnns, 5Vdc                                                                   -
                                                                                                                                 -
                                                                                                                                     No.1_411,Jllll
                                                                                                                                     No,1 41A41N        -
G:' 120000
                                                                                         \
                                                                                             "-
2. 100000
Q.                                                                                                                                     ~~
U 80000
    60000
                                                                                                                                               \.
                                                                                                                                                    ~
    40000                                                                 1.0

    20000                                                                 0.5
                                                                                    I
        0                                                                 0.0
                                                                                   1L I .
                                                                                      0. 1                 10             100           1000            10000
         0.01         0.1                       10          100                                     Frequency [kHz)

                              Frequency [k I
Figure 13. Preliminary MCap Test Results. These graphs demonstrate NLSC capabilities: MCap microstructure
tested at different VDC (by Taiyo Yuden) (left) and sing le nanocell tests (right).




               350                                          -- ----- - ---- ---- - -- ----- --------- ►
                                                                                                                                1 E+12                  ~
                                                                  Maximum GMC attained                                                            >.c
    (/)
                                                                                                                                1 E+ 11 g·o
                                                                                                                                                -           0..
    a> .... 300
    C) . Q                                                         Replace Li - _______ __ _____________ __ _                   1 E+10 g c
                                                                                                                                                .c C'Cl
    o>                                                             ion battery                                                  1 E+09 ~ :a
    fal250                                                                                                                                       ..... Q)
    C Q)                                                          Replace HV                                                    1E+08 0 ~
    o...O                                                          Capacitor / ------------------------ •                                               -0
    ~~200                                                         Ultracapacito                                                 1 E+07 a> c
                                                                                                                                                 :5 C'Cl
   -
   ~CJ
    0 g,150
    .._ C
    Q) · -
                                                                                                   t
                                                                                                                                1 E+06 ~ ~
                                                                                                                                1 E+05 E .s
                                                                                                                                                 Q)·-

   .0     s:                                                                                                                    1 E+04 eel~
    §_g100                                                 Few Mcap nanocells with                                                                  I       I


   z (/)                                                    MC due to processing &                                              1 E+03 ~ ~
                                                                equipment issues
               50                                                                                                               1E+O~~
                                                                                                                                1E+01
                                                                                                                                1 E+00
                      Q1       Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1                        Q2    Q3 Q4                Q1   Q2 Q3
                                  2007                                  2008                        2009
Figure 14. Summary Chart of MCap Results to Date. Right Axis: High-Low value lines in red, Median value in
black dot. Left Axis : number of nanocells exhibiting GMC phenomenon in blue bar.

Figure 15 shows an estimate that has been made by NLSC of the potential specific
energies and projected manufacturing costs of the MCap for comparison to current
energy storage devices,




                                                                                                                                                                23
                            UNCLASSIFIEO/fFOA OFFl€il.t.k YSE O,.Llf
                     UNCLASSIFIED1/FOR 8ffl@IAL tt91! e"t I

                      10,000 00                                                                                                           $10


                       1,000.00                                                         I                 rn m e. #,           ~
                                                                                                                                          $
                                                                           ......                                     2~
                                                                                                                               :r:
                                                                                                                                              Li-ionprice
                         100.00          I                                              p       I     I
                                                                                                                                          $ 0.1
                                                                                                           I

                                                                                                               I
                                                       odq, 10 rter 1e1 Jrtial1 Ii
                             10.00                                                                                                        $ 0.01
                                                                                            I


                                         I                                              p                                                     Pb-Acid price
                                                                                                                                     II
                              1.00                                                  '                                 2 =~:j;             $ 0.001
                 Fuel cell                   ..                                                                            ~




                   U-ion             • • ...                 ~
                                                                                                                               .     ~
                             0.10                                              '
                     Mcap          I                   ,                       I
                                                                                                      i
                                                                                                                                     I    Mcap
                Attainable 0.01                                                                                                           Projected
            Energy Density      I= 1               1       II • .j,•. ➔•
                                                                                                                                          Nominal
                                17
                   (Whig ) 0.00                                                                      II                ~ n                Cost ($/Wh)
                                1E+06             1E+07     1E+08              1E+09                1E+10          1E+11        fGMC
Figure 15. Specific Energy and Estimated Costs vs. foMc

The mass production t arget of MCaps on a wafer of fo Mc of ~10 9 would enable the
achievement of exceed in g t he specific energy of lithium ion batteries at a significantly
reduced cost . MCaps at t hese prod uction targets would disrupt both the lithi um ion
batt ery and t he ultracapacitor market.




24
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                 UNCLASSIFIED1/FOR 8ffl@IAL tt.!! 8flt I


Chapter 5: Future Developments
There have been significant advancements in ultracapacitor t echnology in the last few
years. Increased understanding of the physical 
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