Solid-state electric double layer capacitors for ac line-filtering

Abstract

Ultra-fast solid electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) have been developed in both sandwich and planar interdigitated configurations using vertically-oriented graphene nanosheet (VOGN) electrodes with a hydroxide ion-conducting tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH)–polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer electrolyte. These solid-state EDLCs could be scanned at a rate of 1000Vs−1 in cyclic voltammetry and demonstrated response times of less than 1ms. They retained high performance over 18 months of shelf storage and after 100,000 charge/discharge cycles with limited packaging, demonstrating the high stability of TEAOH–PVA electrolyte. The solid-state capacitors are capable of performing at elevated temperatures and have demonstrated a response time of 0.35ms at 90°C. Given their ultra-fast rate capability, excellent shelf-life and cycle life, and excellent temperature stability, these solid-state EDLCs are promising smaller and lighter alternatives to the bulky electrolytic capacitors now used for ac line-filtering.