News Supercapacitor promises end to batteries

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2010/02/08/supercapacitor-promises-end-to-batteries/1

 

Using the XKCD theory, this will be canned in six months, or not heard from again for the next decade.

 

What if your feet are touching the floor, won't you get a shock?! Holding these devices won't shock you?!

 

Energy density numbers, please? Otherwise I know this Nigerian businessman who has an interesting proposition for you...

 

This... Until I can see some numbers, its just a good-looking concept/rumor as far as im concerned...

 

@proxess- i was thinking the same thing but id imagine anyone making their products with the stuff will make sure it has a insulative coating on the exterior.

If only you can make solar panels (that are as thin as this could be) and this come together your laptop could charge itself and store the electricity in its case.

Any numbers for this thing?

 

http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=162506

 

Call me when they've got it market-ready at the dame energy density than "normal" Li-Ion batteries. Till then there's no use in speculating how great this COULD be.

Remember the phone charger that can charge off transmissions? shame it doesn't even cover the standby power.

 

I think it would be safe to touch, etc. If it's a capacitor then both "plates" or whatever acts as such could be insulated from the outside world. What concerns me is what happens if the case is pierced by something metallic. Great big short-circuit would be my first guess.

Even many batteries explode when shorted. They can dump so much current that the heat melts or sets them on fire. Sometimes really impressive fires!!

I guess they could use some of the space they've saved for some light armour. Kevlar covered devices, cool!

 

They said the same thing a few years ago about power tool batteries. Guess, what, I'm still waiting. They came out with a screwdriver powered by a super-cap, and initial interest was high. Then it all crashed down.

I agree with Nexxo, what are the energy densities for these new materials? Overall storage capacity? Charging times/frequency?

A paper-thin cell phone is a novel idea, but won't be of much use if it must be recharged every 90 minutes.

 

XKCD? Maybe you mean... SSDD (Same **** Different Day)?

 

Well this has great potential as long it doesnt get canned by some big wig worried about losing out on some current techs kickbacks ~_~

 

super capacitors will NEVER end the need for battery, because i had been working with a couple as large as 1F and they don't store enough charges for even a very well power managed microcontroller for 1 hour. (well power managed because i programed it )

ultra-capacitor on the other hand..... my friend was involved in another project, tried to replace battery used in MoD's standard issue radio with ultra-caps. final product: 24 hours talk time with normal 2xAA battery ends up to be 1.5 hour with four 100F 5v ultra-caps.


on the issue whether it's safe to touch, of course it's safe, we are talking about electronics, not electrical high voltage. super-caps usually comes in 2.5v or 5v, and doesn't discharge as fast as a good ceramic capacitor.

 

Sounds interesting and looking forward, let's see it is viable and doesn't suffer from lobbies.

 

never bitch xkcd on a tech forum, this is blasphemy

I don't see how it's always the same everyday... I actually think it's the complete opposite

 

yeah like wu said.. I built a 1 farad capacitor for my trucks stereo system- ran a bunch in parallel

they are good for supplying steady power when the pull exceeds what the alternator can do- like during bass notes the amps pull a lot of power- during that time it will get what it needs from the capacitors and the caps recharge in between.. but they discharge very quickly- they don't hold a charge

 

I'm thinking he means SSDD for new techs like this.

Although if he is slagging off xkcd I will kick his ass with you...

 

actually, by XKCD logic this means they will be keeping the technology to themselves:
"we're not really looking at market applications yet." -----> "I like being the only one with a hovercar"