Graphene-Based Capacitors: From Lab to Commercial Applications

Capacitors, especially supercapacitors were once classified as a potential replacement for lithium-ion batteries because of the awesome advantages they provide. These advantages include longer lifetimes, increased safety, and faster charging and discharging. However, there are still some differences between both technologies, which introduces limitations to the density of graphene-based capacitors. 

These limitations also reduce the likelihood for capacitors to completely replace lithium-ion batteries in the near future. Despite that, advancements have helped in enhancing graphene-based capacitors from being only applied in the lab to a wide range of commercial applications. Today, they are now used for applications within the transportation sector as energy storage devices and a wide range of other amazing applications. 

In this article, you’ll learn about the different applications of graphene-based capacitors. Continue reading for more. 

Differences Between Capacitor and Battery Technologies

There are a few differences between capacitors and batteries, and the most notable difference is the energy density of batteries is higher while the power density of batteries is lower. This is why they are currently the ideal option for use in applications requiring slow release of energy, and for long-term applications. 

On the other hand, the capacitors have lower energy density and a higher power density. This implies that they will discharge at a faster rate than batteries. It’s also the main reason why they are applied in instances where there’s a need for quick energy release or quick recharging. 

These differences in power and energy density also affect the capacitance of the two electronic components. Another difference to note is how they store energy. Capacitors electrostatically store energy on the surface of their electrodes, while batteries store and release energy electrochemically. 

Role of Graphene in Energy Density Improvements within Capacitor Technologies

As mentioned earlier, there are a few differences between capacitors and batteries which reduces the likelihood of batteries being completely replaced. Despite that, research is still channeled towards the improvement of energy density. Research is also focused around developing materials with larger surface areas to further increase the amount of ions being absorbed. This strategy is to help in boosting the energy density and capacitance of supercapacitors. 

Graphene and activated carbon are currently the most common options for active materials. The use of graphene continues to grow in popularity because its electrical conductivity is higher. However, a key thing to note is that graphene is expensive and more difficult to produce than activated carbon. Its surface area is also lower than that of activated carbon, which further makes it difficult for large-scale application on an industrial level. 

Factors Against the Adoption of Graphene Electrodes

Graphene is currently at the heart of innovations in capacitors, and with that, it’s important to understand the factors impeding its adoption. These factors include the following:

• Difficult Large-Scale Synthesis of Graphene: Even though it’s a great material for capacitor technologies, its synthesis requires strict conditions, making it difficult to synthesize on a large scale. In cases where its synthesis on a large scale is possible, it may not be enough for application in supercapacitors. 
• Expensive to Produce: The synthesis of graphene requires the use of sophisticated equipment and specialized processes, which increases the economic implications. After the production of graphene it also requires the use of sensitive characterization processes to determine its quality and ensure it conforms with ISO standards. This is a challenge that further hinders the adoption of graphene electrodes. 
• Graphene is Prone to Agglomeration: Graphene experiences pi-pi interaction after its synthesis, which causes the active surface area to reduce. This further affects the energy density of capacitors. 

Laboratory and Academic Work on Graphene Technology

Research efforts have made significant progress over the past years, but energy density still remains an issue that affects the adoption of graphene technology. There are studies that highlight that even though graphene capacitors could retain over 90% of its performance it was only sufficient for use over a few seconds in calculator and LED. 

Will Supercapacitors Replace Batteries?

As researchers continue to put in effort to improve the performance of capacitor technologies, the big question is whether supercapacitors will eventually replace batteries. Based on currently available results, it remains unlikely for batteries to be replaced completely. The only possibility is if the engineering hurdles and limitations are eliminated. 

These challenges include the fact that capacitors have lower energy densities, they are prone to excessive self-discharge, graphene-based capacitors are expensive, and their applications remain limited. 

Potential Applications of Capacitor Technologies

Here’s an overview of some of the current and future applications of capacitor technology:

Personal Electronics

Capacitors are now widely used as electronic components in many devices. However, this doesn’t imply that they will completely replace batteries when it comes to powering these devices. Today, the common practice is to combine capacitors with batteries to achieve the best results. Examples of personal electronics that they are widely used include cameras and smartphones. It’s worth noting that batteries are still applied because no one will want to recharge their device after a short timeframe. 

Transportation Sector

Even though there are a couple of challenges that prevent capacitors from replacing batteries, they are still being applied today. However, graphene-based capacitors are still emerging, and they don’t have many applications. One of the most common applications is seen within the transportation sector. 

In Serbia and China today, there are many fleets of supercapacitor-powered buses. Reports show that some of these fleets have been used to cover distances up to 25 km, and they only require a few minutes to charge. These buses are usually recharged at bus stops or depots to overcome the low energy density. 

Conclusion

Capacitors and graphene-based capacitors have found multiple applications, especially within the transportation sector and in a wide range of personal electronics. However, they are not a complete alternative to batteries. Research efforts are still ongoing to further improve the performance of capacitors and boost their utilization in a wide range of applications. Graphene-based capacitors also prove promising, but are likely to experience similar challenges as other types of capacitors, which further justifies the need for deeper research efforts. 

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