Chapter nine - Developments of supercapacitors

Swift technological advancement and extensive use of conventional sources of energy require a step change in both energy generation and utilization. There is a global move to reduce the use of conventional sources of energy due to the commitment of the United Nations, which established a number of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, to achieve these goals, wider deployment of renewable sources is paramount, which seems challenging without appropriate energy storage systems such as batteries and supercapacitors (SCs). SCs, which can be divided into electric double layer and pseudocapacitors, are high power devices that can, in some cases, replace batteries, whereas in others these devices can complement battery-based energy storage systems. This chapter will provide an overview of the SC’s technology, the development over the decades, and different types of electrode materials. Followed by innovation and the utilization of different electrolytes. Finally, the chapter will cover various cell configurations, followed by future research and applications perspectives of these newly developed devices.