CORROSION RESEARCH CENTER
Sensors and Batteries

High Rate Electrodes

M. J. Parent

Supported by the DoE and DARPA

The need for improved power supplies for zero emission automobiles has sparked a considerable interest in electrochemical capacitors. The advanced batteries currently being investigated for electric automobiles have very good energy density but do not perform well under high power demands. The emphasis has become a combined power storage system, coupling a battery and an electrochemical capacitor to utilize the high energy density of the battery along with the high power density of the capacitor. The energy is stored in the battery while the capacitor provides high power during acceleration. This work focuses on the construction of vanadium oxide (V₂O₅) and nickel composite electrode for use as an electrode in a supercapacitor. Thin films of V₂O₅ were grown directly on a sintered nickel felt via a sol-gel route. Preferential gelation was observed on the felt. Large pseudo- capacitances (>200F/g) were observed under rapid discharge conditions. Specific powers, based on mass of active material, of almost 10 MW/kg were also observed.

Further work is being done to investigate the potential of a three dimensional carbon network as a support for active cathode material. Control over solid thickness and pore size is being studied for various carbon materials to determine if a viable material is possible.