More nanotech wonders to regale you with!
Here’s an article in the journal of the IEEE, “Spectrum”, that discusses a breakthrough in ultracapacitor technology using carbon nanotubes.
Luckily for us all, the article is written in plain English and not only tells you all about this amazing “electric shag” technology, it also explains exactly what the hell an ultracapacitor is and why any of us should care. To condense it for you, capacitors are devices that store up and then discharge electricity that other electronic components can then use. Normal capacitors can’t hold a lot of charge, so they aren’t as practical as normal chemical batteries for powering electric devices, but they do get used in a variety of electronics. Ultracapacitors are capable of holding much, much more electricity, but scaling issues make them also impractical. Nano-ultracapacitors make it possible to store lots of electricity in very small arrays, so that they can be used in place of chemical batteries, offering many more recharges than a chemical battery while delivering just as much power in a smaller form factor.
The author of the article is the MIT research professor who has been developing this technology and he feels it could replace the large battery packs in electric and hybrid cars, as well as reduce the size needed for battery space in many modern electronics.
At first I thought that was a photo of the atmospheric effects of a nuclear explosion. But it’s nearly as mind-blowing, and a good follow up to an earlier post of yours and articles I read about ultracapacitors and electric vehicles. Talk about a convergence of technologies. With gas at just over $3 a gallon and a fill-up (in my case) running as much as $125, I could be up for this.
Between the significant weight reduction that would be achievable by replacing the big chemical batteries in hybrids and electric cars AND the much higher number of recharge cycles ultracapacitors can sustain compared to batteries, it seems like this would be a massive leap forward in making all-electric cars more practical.