Coaxial Cable Supercapacitor Structure for Scalable Low-ESR Energy Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing cable-shaped energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors, are expensive and difficult to scale, and lack efficient approaches for achieving high capacitance and low equivalent series resistance in new form factors like coaxial designs.
Innovation Solution
A cable supercapacitor design featuring a conductive filament wrapped around electrodes with a flexible solid-state electrolyte or non-conductive porous material, allowing for a mechanically flexible coaxial form factor that can be integrated into power cables without complex manufacturing techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional deposition and integration schemes are used to manufacture cable-shaped energy storage devices, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cable-shaped supercapacitor is divided into distinct functional segments: inner conductor (anode), outer conductor (cathode), separator layers, and electrolyte-impregnated porous material. Each segment can be manufactured and assembled independently, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested coaxial structure where the inner conductor is surrounded by separator and electrolyte layers, which are in turn surrounded by the outer conductor. This nested arrangement integrates multiple functional components into a compact cable form factor without increasing device complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional sandwich structure with jelly-rolling is used, then manufacturing process is established, but scalability and ease of manufacture are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from rigid sandwich structures to a flexible cable configuration where conductors and separator layers can be dynamically arranged in coaxial configurations. This enables scalable manufacturing through continuous extrusion or winding processes rather than discrete assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of flexible porous separator materials and thin-film electrode structures allows the energy storage device to be manufactured as a flexible cable rather than a rigid sandwich structure. This enables new manufacturing approaches such as co-extrusion or continuous winding, improving both ease of manufacture and productivity.
3Reliability
If high capacitance and low equivalent series resistance are achieved through complex electrode structures, then energy storage performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous materials for electrodes and separator layers, which provide high surface area for electrochemical reactions, achieving high capacitance and low equivalent series resistance. The porous structure is achieved through standard material fabrication techniques, avoiding complex device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable-shaped supercapacitor uses composite structures combining conductive materials, porous separators, and electrolyte-impregnated matrices. These composite materials provide both the required electrical performance and structural simplicity, achieving high capacitance without increasing device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the production of supercapacitors with high capacitance and low equivalent series resistance, facilitating their integration into various applications, including automotive systems, renewable energy storage, and wearable devices, while simplifying the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
They use electrostatic double-layer capacitance and electrochemical pseudocapacitance, both of which contribute to the total capacitance of the supercapacitor
Implementation Method 2
achieving separation of charge in a Helmholtz double layer at the interface between the surface of a conductive electrode and an electrolyte
Implementation Method 3
Electrochemical pseudocapacitors use metal oxide or conducting polymer electrodes with a high amount of electrochemical pseudocapacitance additional to the double-layer capacitance
Implementation Method 4
Pseudocapacitance is achieved by Faradaic electron charge-transfer with redox reactions, intercalation or electrosorption
Implementation Method 5
The electrolyte forms an ionic conductive connection between the two electrodes
Data Source
AI summary
A coaxial supercapacitor and method of manufacture such that the supercapacitor has an elongated shape resembling that of a wire and which can be bent to a desired shape and which can optionally be used in place of a wire for a given application while providing the benefits and characteristics of a supercapacitor. The supercapacitor can be manufactured without the necessity of complex manufacturing techniques.