MORE ENERGY STORED

These stories from the science journals and websites are amusing. But somewhere among them is the story of the technological breakthrough that will change the way we do things. Is this it? (Well, at least it isn't one of those silly stories about a perpetual motion machine we've been getting this week.)

High-performance energy storage
July 3, 2007 (American Physical Society via PhysOrg)

WHO
Physicists Vivek Ranjan, L. Yu, M. Nardelli and J. Bernholc (Vivek Ranjan, team leader).
Your basic ultracapacitor. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
The physicists propose a theoretical model for increasing the storage of energy in capacitors by seven-fold. If proven, this would make all battery driven technology, from lasers and computers to electric cars and spacecraft, far more powerful.

WHEN
Theory proposed in a forthcoming issue of Physical Review Letters. Not yet proven experimentally.

WHERE
North Carolina State University

WHY
- In a capacitor, electrical energy is stored by a difference in charge between two metal surfaces. Capacitors, unlike batteries, release their energy quickly.
- If polymers PVDF and CTFE are used as insulating material between the metal surfaces (dielectric), the capacitor will store “unprecedented amounts of energy.”
- The physicists are working to better “arrange” the polymers for higher “energy density” capacitors.
A capacitor enhanced with PVDF. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
PhysOrg: “High performance capacitors would enable hybrid and electric cars with much greater acceleration, better and faster steering of rockets and spacecraft, better regeneration of electricity when using brakes in electric cars, and improved lasers, among many other electrical applications.”