IP Library Granted Patent US 9,218,917
Granted Patent B2
US 9,218,917 · App. 13/491,593 · Granted Dec 22, 2015

Energy storage media for ultracapacitors

Inventors: Nicolò Michele Brambilla (Boston, MA); Fabrizio Martini (Boston, MA); Kavya Ramachandra (Somerville, MA); Riccardo Signorelli (Boston, MA); Oscar Enrique Corripio Luna (Boston, MA)
H01G11/36B82Y30/00B82Y40/00C01B31/0233H01G11/28H01G11/68C01B2202/04C01B2202/32C01B2202/34C01B2202/36H01G9/155H01G9/2004H01G9/2009H01G9/2013H01G9/2018H01G11/84H02J7/345Y02E60/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,218,917
App. No.
13/491,593
Granted
Dec 22, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An ultracapacitor includes at least one electrode that includes carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes may be applied in a variety of ways, and a plurality of layers may be included. Methods of fabrication of carbon nanotubes and ultracapacitors are provided.

Claims (60)

1. An ultracapacitor comprising:

a housing comprising at least one multi-form electrode disposed therein;

the multi-form electrode comprising a first layer comprising elongated nanoform material disposed over a current collector, and at least a second layer comprising nanoform carbon disposed over the first layer and

an electrolyte for providing ionic transport within the ultracapacitor;

wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to have a gravimetric output power density of at least about 12 kW/kg for a plurality of charge-discharge cycles.

2. The ultracapacitor as in claim 1 , wherein a housing for the ultracapacitor is one of a prismatic and cylindrical form.

3. The ultracapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises at least one of:

1-(3-cyanopropyl)-3-methylimidazolium, 1,2-dimethyl-3-propylimidazolium, 1,3-bis(3-cyanopropyl)imidazoliu, 1,3-diethoxyimidazolium, 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium, 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-butyl-4-methylpyridinium, 1-butylpyridinium, 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium, 3-methyl-1-propylpyridinium, and a combinations thereof.

4. The ultracapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises at least one of:

bis(trifluoromethanesulfonate)imide, tris(trifluoromethanesulfonate)methide, dicyanamide, tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, trifluoromethanesulfonate, bis(pentafluoroethanesulfonate)imide, thiocyanate, trifluoro(trifluoromethyl)borate, and combinations thereof.

5. The ultracapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the nanoform carbon comprises at least one of:

single wall nanotubes, multiwall nanotubes, nanohorns, nano-onions, carbon black, fullerene, graphene, oxidized graphene, metal nano-particles, metal oxide nano-particles, at least one form of conductive polymer and treated forms of the foregoing.

6. The ultracapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises at least one of:

acetonitrile, amides, benzonitrile, butyrolactone, cyclic ether, dibutyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, diethylether, dimethoxyethane, dimethyl carbonate, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfone, dioxane, dioxolane, ethyl formate, ethylene carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate, lactone, linear ether, methyl formate, methyl propionate, methyltetrahydrofuran, nitrile, nitrobenzene, nitromethane, n-methylpyrrolidone, propylene carbonate, sulfolane, sulfone, tetrahydrofuran, tetramethylene sulfone, thiophene, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyethylene glycols, carbonic acid ester, γ-butyrolactone, nitrile, tricyanohexane, any combination thereof.

7. The ultracapacitor of claim 1 , wherein:

the elongated nanoform material comprises carbon nanotubes.

8. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to have a gravimetric output power density of at least about 250 kW/kg for a plurality of charge-discharge cycles.

9. The ultracapacitor of claim 8 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to have a gravimetric output power density of at least about 1 Wh/kg for the plurality of charge-discharge cycles.

10. The ultracapacitor of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of charge-discharge cycles comprises at least 1,000 cycles.

11. The ultracapacitor of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of charge-discharge cycles comprises at least 2,000 cycles.

12. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to operate at a voltage of at least half a maximum rated voltage with a gravimetric output power density and gravimetric output energy density having a product equal to at least 19 Wh-kW/kg 2 .

13. The ultracapacitor of claim 12 , wherein the maximum rated voltage is at least about 4V.

14. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to operate at a voltage of at least half a maximum rated voltage with a gravimetric output power density and gravimetric output energy density having a product equal to at least 38 Wh-kW/kg 2 .

15. The ultracapacitor of claim 14 , wherein the maximum rated voltage is at least about 4V.

16. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to operate at a voltage of at least half a maximum rated voltage with a gravimetric output power density and gravimetric output energy density having a product equal to at least 75 Wh-kW/kg 2 .

17. The ultracapacitor of claim 16 , wherein the maximum rated voltage is at least about 4V.

18. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to operate at a voltage of at least half a maximum rated voltage with a gravimetric output power density and gravimetric output energy density having a product equal to at least 112 Wh-kW/kg 2 .

19. The ultracapacitor of claim 18 , wherein the maximum rated voltage is at least about 4V.

20. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to operate at a voltage of at least half a maximum rated voltage with a gravimetric output power density and gravimetric output energy density having a product equal to at least 150 Wh-kW/kg 2 .

21. The ultracapacitor of claim 20 , wherein the maximum rated voltage is at least about 4V.

22. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to operate at a voltage of at least half a maximum rated voltage with a gravimetric output power density and gravimetric output energy density having a product equal to at least 190 Wh-kW/kg 2 .

23. The ultracapacitor of claim 22 , wherein the maximum rated voltage is at least about 4V.

24. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , comprising an energy storage media comprising the first and second layers and having an areal density in the range of 0.1 mg/cm 2 to 30 mg/cm 2 .

25. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an cation comprising at least one from list consisting of: imidazolium, pyrazinium, piperidinium, pyridinium, pyrimidinium, and pyrrolidinium.

26. The ultracapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an anion comprising at least one from list consisting of: bis(trifluoromethanesulfonate)imide, tris(trifluoromethanesulfonate)methide, dicyanamide, tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, trifluoromethanesulfonate, bis(pentafluoroethanesulfonate)imide, thiocyanate, and trifluoro(trifluoromethyl)borate.

27. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the multiform electrode comprises a current collector comprising aluminum.

28. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the elongated nanoform material consists essentially of carbon nanotubes.

29. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein:

the first layer comprises a layer of aligned carbon nanotubes.

30. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein:

the first layer comprises a compressed layer of carbon nanotubes.

31. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein:

the first layer comprises a layer of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes extending in a direction transverse to a major surface of the current collector.

32. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer is substantially free from carrier material used to apply the second layer to the first layer.

33. The ultracapacitor of claim 32 , wherein the carrier material comprises at least one selected from the list consisting of: ethanol, isopropyl alchohol, deionized water, acetone, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and combinations thereof.

34. The ultracapacitor of claim 32 , wherein the second layer is substantially free from oxygen based impurities.

35. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises nanohorns.

36. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises nano-onions.

37. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises carbon black.

38. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises fullerene.

39. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises graphene.

40. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises oxidized graphene.

41. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises metal nano-particles.

42. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises metal oxide nano-particles.

43. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises a form of conductive polymer.

44. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises a single wall carbon nanotubes.

45. The ultracapacitor of claim 7 , wherein the second layer comprises a multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

46. The ultracapacitor of claim 1 , wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to have a gravimetric output power density of at least about 30 Wh/kg for the plurality of charge-discharge cycles.

47. The ultracapacitor of claim 46 , wherein the plurality of charge-discharge cycles comprises at least 1,000 cycles.

48. The ultracapacitor of claim 46 , wherein the plurality of charge-discharge cycles comprises at least 2,000 cycles.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2024
From: FASTCAP ULTRACAPACITORS LLC
To: WINDSAIL CAPITAL FUND, L.P.
Reel/Frame 069547/0440 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 4, 2024
From: FASTCAP SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: FASTCAP ULTRACAPACITORS LLC
Reel/Frame 069495/0394 →
TERMINATION OF SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 4, 2024
From: WINDSAIL CAPITAL FUND, L.P.
To: FASTCAP SYSTEMS CORPORATION; BR CHROM LLC
Reel/Frame 070946/0799 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2022
From: FASTCAP SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: WINDSAIL CREDIT FUND, L.P.
Reel/Frame 062738/0152 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Oct 19, 2017
From: FASTCAP SYSTEMS CORPORATION
To: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 043899/0626 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 24, 2014
From: FASTCAP SYSTEMS CORPORATION; BR CHROM LLC
To: WINDSAIL CREDIT FUND, L.P., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 032508/0072 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2012
From: SIGNORELLI, RICCARDO, DR.; BRAMBILLA, NICOLO M., MR.; RAMACHANDRA, KAVYA, MS.
To: FASTCAP SYSTEMS, CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028737/0771 →
Continuity (8)
Provisional Application 61494164 · Jun 7, 2011
Provisional Application 61524071 · Aug 16, 2011
Provisional Application 61525326 · Aug 19, 2011
Provisional Application 61568450 · Dec 8, 2011
Provisional Application 61569010 · Dec 9, 2011
Provisional Application 61570587 · Dec 14, 2011
Provisional Application 61602121 · Feb 23, 2012
Related Publication 20120313591A1 · Dec 13, 2012