Lithium-ion capacitor
| Specific energy | 11–14 W·h/kg |
|---|---|
| Energy density | 19–25 W·h/L |
| Specific power | 160–2800 W/kg |
| Charge/discharge efficiency | 95% |
| Self-discharge rate | < 5%/month (temperature dependent) |
| Cycle durability | >10,000 |
| Nominal cell voltage | 2.2–3.8 V |
A lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) is a hybrid type of capacitor. Activated carbon is used as cathode. The anode of the LIC consists of carbon material which is pre-doped with lithium ion. This pre-doping process lowers the potential of the anode and allows a high output voltage.
Concept
A Lithium Ion Capacitor is a hybrid device which combines the intercalation mechanism of a Lithium battery with the [cathode]] of an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC).[1] The positive electrode (cathode) often employs activated carbon material at which charges are stored in an electric double layer that is developed at the interface between the carbon and the electrolyte.
The negative electrode (anode) was originally made with lithium titanate oxide, but is now more commonly made with graphitic carbon material, which is pre-doped with lithium ions. This pre-doping process lowers the anode potential and results in a high output voltage. Typically, output voltages for LICs are in the range of 3.8–4.0V. As a consequence, LICs have a high energy density, which varies with the square of the voltage. The capacitance of the anode is several orders of magnitude larger than that of the cathode. As a result, the change of the anode potential during charge and discharge is much smaller than the change in the cathode potential.
The electrolyte used in an LIC is a lithium-ion salt solution that can be combined with other organic components.
A separator prevents direct electrical contact between anode and cathode.
Properties
Typical properties of an LIC are:
- High cell capacity, because of the large anode capacity
- High energy density (14 Wh/kg reported in [2])
- High power density
- High reliability
- Operating temperatures ranging from −20 ⁰C to 70 ⁰C.
- Low self-discharge (<5% Voltage drop at 25⁰C over three months reported in [Ref 1]).
Comparison to other technologies
Batteries, EDLC and LICs all have their own properties, which make them suitable for specific applications. The lithium-ion capacitors have a higher power density as compared to batteries, and LIC’s are safer in use than LIBs, in which thermal runaway reactions may occur. Compared to the electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC), the LIC has a higher output voltage. They have similar power densities, but energy density of an LIC is much higher.
The Ragone plot (figure 1), shows that the lithium-ion capacitor combines the high energy of LIBs with the high power density of EDLC’s.
Cycle life performance of LICs is much better than batteries and is similar to EDLCs.
Applications
Lithium-ion capacitors are quite suitable for applications which require a high energy density, high power densities and excellent durability. Since they combine high energy density with high power density, there is no need for additional electrical storage devices in various kinds of applications, resulting in reduced cost of ownership.
Potential applications for lithium-ion capacitors are, for example, in the fields of wind power generation systems, uninterruptible power source systems (UPS), voltage sag compensation, photovoltaic power generation, energy recovery systems in industrial machinery, and transportation systems.
References
- ↑ "Evaluation of lithium-ion capacitors assembled with pre-lithiated graphite anode and activated carbon cathode". Sciencedirect.com. 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
- ↑ "FDK To Begin Mass Production of High-Capacity Li-Ion Capacitors". 4 January 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
External links
- Introducing JM Energy Lithium Ion Capacitor, JM Energy
- Lithium Ion Capacitor, JSR Micro