Supercapacitors for Hybrid

and Plug-in Hybrid

Electric Vehicles
V. R. Koch
Covalent Associates, Inc.
and
Oregon State University
December 4, 2008

Overview
What are supercapacitors (aka EDLCs, ultracaps,
supercaps)?
Supercap market segments
Ionic liquids: new electrolyte materials for high temp
supercaps
Supercap performance at elevated temps
Summary
Postscript from the Port of Yokahama

Types of Capacitors

Energy Storage Devices

1000

100

10

0.1

0.01
10

100

1000

10000

Supercap Hardware

AA size cell
2325 coin cell

Supercapacitor Test Bank

Why Supercaps for EV/PHEV?

Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru) has purchased the
Electric Double Layer Capacitor (supercapacitor)
business from Kanebo Ltd for an estimated 100
million yen, according to reports in the Japanese
business press (August 2008).
Fuji Heavy Industries plans to start commercial
production of the ultracapacitor device before the
end of 2010, and to sell the product to other
companies, in addition to using it for its own
vehicles.

EDLC Market Segments as f(T)

80oC

Available supercap
thermal envelope:
-30C to 65C

60oC
40oC
20oC
0oC
-20oC
-40oC
-60oC
-80oC

Consumer
electronics Auto
Military

Supercaps for EV and PHEV

Non-aqueous electrolytes fail at temps as low as 65C owing to
thermal decomposition reactions.
Supercap modules in hybrid EVs experience operating temps as
high as 125C.
New thermochemically stable electrolytes are required to enable
supercap performance at elevated temps over long periods of time.
Such electrolytes incorporate ionic liquid materials.

www.covalentassociates.com

www.covalentassociates.com

Ionic Liquids
ILs are materials composed solely of anions
and cations.
Negative (-)

Positive (+)

Molecular solvents are composed of neutral

species
benzene, propylene carbonate, water
O

www.covalentassociates.com

Cation Structures
N+

N+
N

Imidazolium

Pyrazolium

N+

N+

Thiazolium

Pyridazinium

Triazolium

N+

Oxazolium

Pyridinium

N
N+

N+

N+

N+

Pyrimidnium

Pyrazinium

Anion Structures
Inorganic
-

BR4
PR6

Organic
Sulfonate
Imide
Methide

O-(SO2R)
N-(SO2R)2
C-(SO2R)3

R = halide, perfluoroalkyl and other electron

withdrawing alkyl or aryl substituents

Critical Thermal Stability

120

No volatility

W eight Loss (%)

100

(CF3SO2)2N-

EMIIm

80

PC
bp 240C

60

40

High thermal
stability

20
0
0

100

200

300

400
T/oC

500

600

700

www.covalentassociates.com

Electrolyte Storage: 150oC for 2 hr

Ionic Liquid

1M TEABF4/PC
www.covalentassociates.com

Supercap Cycle Life:

150oC at 1.75V
Capacitance (F/g)

40
30

Ionic Liquid

20

1M TEABF4/PC

10

IL data represent 42 days

of continuous cycling at 150C

0
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000 10000

cycle #

www.covalentassociates.com

Summary
A new family of non-flammable and
thermochemically stable ionic liquid
electrolytes has been developed.
Such electrolytes enable supercapacitor
performance at temperatures in excess of
150C.
We are working with device manufacturers to
bring safe, high temperature supercaps to the
auto industry.