Aussie ultracapacitor tech achieves up to double energy density

Melbourne-based company enyGy has developed graphene technology that enables ultracapacitors to achieve up to double the amount of energy density. This development could lead to benefits in a number of areas, including cost savings for public transport systems, enhanced use of personal technology devices and reduced environmental impact. Established in 2021 to commercialise an invention by Monash Engineering researchers, enyGy aims to enhance ultracapacitor technology and develop graphene-based technologies to facilitate production of next-generation energy storage solutions.

As a Monash University spin-out company, enyGy is expected to surge into the global ultracapacitor energy storage market, leaping beyond the benchmarks of modern capacitor technologies in the market today. Dr Alastair Hick, Monash University Chief Commercialisation Officer, said ultracapacitors are a key part of Monash University’s commitment to support new energy innovation and commercialisation in the transition to net zero, and added that advances like this, achieved by enyGy, are paving the way.

Increasing the performance of ultracapacitors is vital in the energy market as it continues to seek out innovative and environmentally conscious electrical applications. For this reason, graphene has long been sought as a replacement for activated carbon. enyGy has access to patents from Monash University covering the preparation of graphene hydrogel membranes and their applications in energy storage areas. enyGy graphene-based electrode films can reduce the size of market-leading ultracapacitors while maintaining the same energy stored, or increase the energy stored using the same volume or mass.

enyGy was able to double the energy density by preserving graphene’s outstanding properties of high electrical and thermal conductivity, and high surface area by finely controlling its structure and chemistry at nanometre scale. The successful implementation of graphene in the electrode film within ultracapacitors presents a challenge, which enyGy has been successful in achieving. Key inventor of the enyGy IP portfolio Professor Dan Li said that enyGy’s strategy achieves graphene-based compact energy storage.

“A unique nano-engineering strategy has been developed to manipulate the individual graphene sheets and to control the inter-sheet spacing and interactions down in sub-nanometre scale. This achieves compact energy storage capability by graphene-based electrode films,” Li said.

Guy Carroll, Chief Executive Officer of enyGy, said that independent testing has confirmed the performance of the enyGy product. The development of this product over the past seven years has resulted in a technology that is ready to move from the laboratory and has the potential to transform the ultracapacitor energy storage industry and its role in the future of clean energy.

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