Design considerations and characterization of Origami [TM] electrochemical capacitors

Abstract

Electrochemical capacitors, also known as supercapacitors, ultracapacitors, and electric double-layer capacitors, have recently received attention as electrical energy storage devices. The devices are both high power and high energy, making them ideally suited for load balancing applications in such demanding applications as electric vehicles, transmission devices, and other systems with intermittent peaks in power. Recent trends in miniaturization have created applications where size and weight constraints are critical. Micropower devices such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and miniature remote sensors with consumption in the range of milliWatts to Watts are increasingly common. To help meet the power demands of these miniature devices, micron-scale electrochemical capacitors are being developed that utilize traditional two dimensional fabrication techniques combined with folding methods to form the third dimension. Devices produced in this manner allow for close packing of multiple layers, resulting in high power and energy densities. This work examines the scientific fundamentals governing electrochemical capacitors and the design, fabrication, and testing of devices produced at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology utilizing the Origami[TM] technique.