Supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors, are battery-like devices that can charge in seconds or a few minutes. They are highly durable and can last for millions of charge cycles, making them a promising technology for the energy transition. However, their adoption has been limited by poor energy density, which makes them unsuitable for delivering long-term energy storage or continuous power.
Electrodes with a More Disordered Structure Store More Energy
Researchers from the University of Cambridge discovered that electrodes with a more disordered chemical structure stored far more energy than electrodes with a highly ordered structure. This finding challenges the conventional wisdom that a highly ordered structure is necessary for optimal energy storage.