Nanotech Batteries Energy of the Future

New systems for storing electrical energy derived from alternative sources which in some cases are 10 times more efficient than what is commercially available have been developed by researchers at the Maryland NanoCenter at the University of Maryland.

Recently people have turned to hybrid cars and installing solar panels on the roof in order to save energy and money. There is only one problem though; in both the technology to store the electrical power and energy is insufficient.

The new devices developed by researchers at the Maryland NanoCenter are electrostatic nanocapacitors which dramatically increase energy storage density of electrical energy storage devices without sacrificing the high power they traditionally characteristically offer. The electrical energy storage devices can be separated in three categories. Batteries are one of the devices that can store large amounts of energy, but do not provide high power or fast recharge. Secondly, electrochemical capacitors (ECCs) offer higher power at the price of relatively lower energy density. Thirdly, electrostatic capacitors (ESCs) store charge on the surfaces of two conductors. This results in high power and fast recharge, but at the price of lower energy density.
One of the scientists, Gary Rubloff stated that to simultaneously achieve high power and high energy density to enable the devices to hold large amounts of energy, to deliver that energy at high power, and to recharge rapidly is the ultimate goal for electrical energy storage systems. These new developed devices make use of unique combinations of materials, processes, and structures to optimize both energy and power density.

Researchers state that these new nandodevices are being developed for mass production as layers of devices that could look like thin panels, which are similar to solar panels or the flat panel displays but at a much lower cost. While inside a car battery or solar panel multiple energy storage panels would be stacked together.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090320173859.htm