Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Given rising fuel costs, the Kyoto Accord, and the strengthening environmental movement, research in alternative energy sources/storage systems is a vital field of study for Canadian researchers.  Supercapacitors are an excellent option for the energy storage market as they store charge in a relatively inexpensive and safe way and can undergo up to a million charge/discharge cycles (vs. the thousands of cycles of battery systems).  Unfortunately, supercapacitor systems have some shortcomings which limit their practical use and it will be the focus of this research program to study these limitations, in order to improve supercapacitor performance. Initially, research will focus on the phenomenon of self-discharge (spontaneous discharging of a system when not in use) and is designed to identify the mechanism of self-discharge (using carbon and ruthenium oxide electrodes and then moving on to other materials) with the hope of preventing self-discharging, thereby extending the life of the supercapacitor and increasing their viability as an alternative energy storage option.      The eight-channel Multistat/impedance system to be supported by this grant will aid in the examination of all aspects of supercapacitor study.  It is capable tracking the response of 8 separate working electrodes (or supercapacitor systems) simultaneously, or 8 points along one working electrode to determine how the reaction occurring on one section of the electrode affects an adjacent section.  As well, the impedance capability provides a powerful method for revealing the changes occurring on the surface of a supercapacitor electrode during supercapacitor charging/discharging and self-discharge.  This makes the Multistat/impedance system one of the most powerful and useful electrochemical instruments available today. It is of particular benefit to have a Canadian team researching this topic as this will ensure that the particular needs of the Canadian climate (e.g. low temperature) will be addressed, which may not be the focus of research in other countries.  As well, Canada will benefit by having a growing number of people who understand and can evaluate alternative energy technologies so that Canada can become a leader in this field.