supercapacitoromgevingen

A supercapacitor, also known as an ultracapacitor or pseudocapacitor, is an electrochemical capacitor that has a capacitance significantly higher than that of a conventional capacitor. Supercapacitors store energy using electrostatic principles rather than chemical reactions, distinguishing them from batteries. They achieve high capacitance by employing materials with a very large surface area, such as activated carbon, and by utilizing a very thin dielectric layer. This large surface area allows for a greater accumulation of electrical charge at the interface between the electrode and the electrolyte.

The energy storage mechanism in a supercapacitor involves the accumulation of ions from an electrolyte onto the surface of porous electrodes. Unlike batteries, which store energy through chemical reactions, supercapacitors store energy physically. This physical storage mechanism allows them to charge and discharge much faster than batteries, often in seconds or minutes. Supercapacitors also offer a much longer cycle life, meaning they can be charged and discharged many more times without significant degradation of their performance compared to batteries.

However, supercapacitors typically have a lower energy density than batteries, meaning they store less energy for a given weight or volume. This makes them suitable for applications where rapid bursts of power are needed, or where frequent charging and discharging occur, rather than for long-term energy storage. Applications include regenerative braking in vehicles, power backup for electronic devices, and smoothing out power fluctuations in renewable energy systems.