The new lightweight, supercapacitor battery hybrid composite material offers power and is equally strong to steel, not only increasing range of EVs, also boosts their acceleration
Popularity of electric vehicles is increasing rapidly all over the world. However, these EVs face various challenges such as low miles per charge, limited charge capacity and long time for charging. Now, researchers at University of Central Florida and NASA created a new material that consists unique properties, which allow it for greater potential of energy storage and the strength required for enduring a car crash.
In earlier research, scientists worked on projects combining high energy density of batteries with ultra-fast rates of discharge of supercapacitors, in component strong for being used as exterior of a car. In this new study, to create the new power suit, the team used negatively and positively charged carbon fiber layers and put them together in alternating pattern. The team also put graphene sheets between the layers for increasing their storage capacity, with the carbon fiber layers attached to electrodes covered in metal oxides for boosting the energy density as well as the voltage of the device. As reported by the team, the new supercapacitor-battery hybrid device has equal strength as that of steel, it is lightweight and consists various properties required for EVs.
Furthermore, as per the team, this device could be used as an exterior of a car along with the battery. It boosts the EVs range by 25%, for instance, it can increase the range from 200 miles (31km) per charge to 250 miles (402 km). Moreover, with its capabilities similar to that of supercapacitor, the device is capable of discharging the power rapidly in order to impact acceleration increasing it from 0 to 60 mph in three seconds. The materials are non-flammable and non-toxic, which is necessary for road safety.