Nanotube-Based Ultracapacitors for Pulse-Power Applications

Ultracapacitors are an emerging technology already used in pulse-power applications, since they are capable of delivering tens or hundreds of kJ of energy over thousands of deep-discharge cycles from a package roughly a quarter cubic foot in size.

Recently, Mainstream demonstrated a new proprietary method of fabricating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using lithium-ion batteries with significantly improved capacity and for a fraction of the cost of current CNT production techniques. This same process can be used to make extremely high-power density ultracapacitors, resulting in a small, lightweight, and inexpensive technology that is robust and environmentally friendly. It is estimated that the core energy storage system necessary to deliver the 8 MJ required for this pulsed-power application will be less than 30 cubic feet in size.
Commercial applications include portable electronic products (notebook computers, palm pilots, etc.), biomedical devices (pacemakers, hearing aides, etc.), and electric and hybrid vehicles.