Cleaner Batteries

Research is underway to investigate the use of high performance capacitors for power storage applications. A capacitor stores energy by a difference in charge between two metal surfaces. Usually capacitors release their charge very quickly. By finding just the right insulating material between the two metal surfaces, the release of the energy can be controlled. Applications for capacitors could include electric cars and anywhere batteries are used.

The insulating material between the two metal surfaces is called a dielectric. The dielectric dictates the amount of energy that a capacitor can store. One dielectric material under investigation is a polymer called PVDF.

North Carolina State University physicists report that their high performance PVDF-based capacitors could 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.