High Power and High Energy Electrodes Using Carbon Nanotubes
An electrode useful in an energy storage system, such as a capacitor, includes an electrode that includes at least one to a plurality of layers of compressed carbon nanotube aggregate. Methods of fabrication are provided. The resulting electrode exhibits superior electrical performance in terms of gravimetric and volumetric power density.
1 - 11 . (canceled)
12 . A method for fabricating an aligned carbon nanotube aggregate for an electrode, the method comprising:
selecting a substrate; growing the aligned carbon nanotube aggregate onto the substrate; and
disposing a bonding layer onto the aligned carbon nanotube aggregate following the growth thereof, wherein the bonding layer is adapted for bonding with a current collector of the electrode.
13 . The method as in claim 12 , further comprising compressing the aligned carbon nanotubes aggregate to provide a compressed carbon nanotube aggregate.
14 . The method as in claim 12 , wherein the bonding layer comprises at least one of a combination of iron, chromium and nickel; aluminum; gold; silver; palladium; tin; platinum and a combination of any of the foregoing materials.
15 . The method as in claim 12 , further comprising treating the aligned carbon nanotube aggregate to facilitate removal from the substrate.
16 . The method as in claim 15 , wherein the treating comprises oxidizing the carbon nanotube aggregate.
17 . An ultracapacitor comprising: at least one electrode comprising a current collector comprising at least one layer of compressed carbon nanotubes disposed thereon.
18 . The ultracapacitor as in claim 17 , wherein the electrode comprises a bonding layer disposed between the current collector and the compressed carbon nanotubes.
19 . A method for fabricating an ultracapacitor, the method comprising: selecting an electrode comprising at least one layer of compressed carbon nanotubes disposed thereon; and including the electrode in the ultracapacitor.
20 . The method as in claim 19 , further comprising incorporating an electrolyte in the ultracapacitor.