Scaffold Dielectric Capacitor With Ionic Liquid Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electrostatic capacitors have seen limited advancements in dielectric constants over the past few decades, hindering their performance improvement, whereas super capacitors have reached a surface area limit with graphene, making further energy density increases unlikely.
Innovation Solution
A capacitor design featuring a scaffold dielectric with insulating material and longitudinal channels filled with a dielectric paste comprising a porous material and an ion-comprising liquid, where the liquid has an ionic strength of at least 0.1, allowing ions to migrate and create dipoles in response to an electric field, increasing capacitance without increasing electrode surface area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional electrostatic capacitors use materials with higher dielectric constants to improve capacitance, then capacitance increases, but the advancement has been marginal and limited over decades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite dielectric structure combining an insulating material matrix with ion-comprising liquid-filled pores. This composite approach achieves ultra-high effective dielectric constants (greater than 1000) by integrating two functional components: the insulating matrix provides structural integrity and baseline dielectric properties, while the ion-comprising liquid contributes high polarizability through ion migration and dipole formation, resolving the limitation of marginal material advancements in traditional capacitors
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric incorporates a porous insulating material structure where pores are filled with ion-comprising liquid. This porous architecture increases the effective dielectric constant by providing additional polarizable volume without significantly increasing the physical dimensions of the capacitor. The porous structure allows the ion-comprising liquid to be distributed throughout the dielectric volume, enhancing the overall capacitance through increased dipole formation capability
2Quantity of substance
If super capacitors increase electrode surface area using graphene to improve capacitance, then capacitance increases, but further energy density increases are unlikely as the surface area approaches theoretical limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical surface-area-based capacitance mechanism of super capacitors with an electric field-based dielectric polarization mechanism. Instead of relying on extensive electrode surface area (mechanical/geometric approach), the invention uses an ion-comprising liquid dielectric that generates capacitance through ion migration and dipole formation in response to electric fields, achieving high energy density without requiring large electrode surface areas
Solution Approach 2:
The invention fundamentally changes the operating parameter from electrode surface area to effective dielectric constant. By using an ion-comprising liquid with high ionic strength (at least 0.1) and appropriate viscosity, the system achieves ultra-high effective dielectric constants (greater than 1000), allowing capacitance enhancement through dielectric property optimization rather than geometric scaling, thereby improving energy density
3Quantity of substance
If electrostatic capacitors are made thinner to increase capacitance, then capacitance increases inversely with plate distance, but manufacturing complexity and reliability challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter from plate distance to effective dielectric constant. By utilizing an ion-comprising liquid dielectric with ultra-high effective dielectric constant (greater than 1000), the invention achieves high capacitance values without requiring extremely thin dielectric layers. This parameter substitution allows for manufacturable thicknesses while maintaining high capacitance, avoiding the manufacturing complexity and reliability issues associated with ultra-thin capacitor designs
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
This design significantly enhances the effective dielectric constant and energy storage capacity of the capacitor compared to conventional capacitors of the same size, achieving higher energy and power densities.
Implementation Method 1
Within the capacitor, the cations and anions in the confined liquid of the scaffold dielectric migrate within the ionic solution to create dipoles in response to an applied electric field
Implementation Method 2
The scaffold dielectric further comprises a dielectric paste within each longitudinal channel and contacting the first and second electrodes, with the dielectric paste comprising a porous material and an ion-comprising liquid within the pores of the porous material
Data Source
AI summary
A capacitor having first and second electrodes and a scaffold dielectric. The scaffold dielectric comprises an insulating material with a plurality of longitudinal channels extending across the dielectric and filled with a dielectric paste comprising a porous material and an ion-comprising liquid within the pores of the porous material. The plurality of longitudinal channels are substantially parallel and the liquid comprising the dielectric paste generally has an ionic strength of at least 0.1. Capacitance results from the migrations of positive and negative ions in the confined liquid in response to an applied electric field. A method of supplying power to a load using the capacitor and a method of making the capacitor is additionally disclosed.