Impact of Voltage Resets on Supercapacitors Aging

Abstract

Compared to Li-ion batteries, supercapacitors (SCs) boast longer lifespan, higher power density, and wider operational temperature range. Nevertheless, SCs are expensive (almost 40 times more expensive per watthour than Li-ion batteries). SCs aging is critical. Two types of aging tests are usually performed. Floating aging tests apply constant constraints (voltage and temperature), and cycling aging tests apply multiple charges and discharges. We focus our study on floating aging [corresponding for instance to parking mode for electrical vehicles (95% of the time) or uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) when they are not solicited (quite all the time)]. All results in the literature conclude that voltage level is an acceleration factor for SC aging. According to the literature, it would be interesting to totally discharge the SCs when they are not in active use (i.e., when the UPSs or vehicles are turned off ) to improve their lifespan. Contrary to the literature forecasts (i.e., lower voltage increases lifespan of SC), the results obtained in this paper by alternating voltage resets (0 V, 60 °C) and floating aging (2.8 V, 60 °C) show that discharging even very few times the SCs shortens their lifespan drastically. Physical interpretations are presented to explain aging increase with voltage resets.