This is a project supervised by Prof. Wei Gao and Dr. Shanghai Wei.
Supercapacitors are a type of high-capacity, high-power energy storage device that can store and release electrical energy much more quickly than batteries. They are also referred to as electrochemical capacitors as they store energy in the electric field between two electrodes. The materials used for the electrodes, electrolytes, and surface area are critical factors in determining the capacitance and energy storage capacity of supercapacitors.
Supercapacitors have a wide range of potential applications in high-power delivery and frequent charge/discharge cycles, making them a subject of significant interest in the energy industry. However, they typically have a lower energy density than batteries, and improving their energy storage capacity is the main focus of research in this area.
Several PhD students in the group have already conducted studies on supercapacitors, and this final-year research project will focus specifically on metal oxide-doped carbon electrodes. The project will involve studying the composition, microstructure, and properties of the newly developed electrodes and investigating and optimizing their charge-discharge and energy storage performance.
The students will learn about the basic theory and working mechanism of supercapacitors, and the experimental work will include materials processing, microstructure characterization, and capacitor performance tests. This is a typical new materials research project, and the research outcomes are expected to be useful in developing a new and/or improved type of supercapacitor.
Undergraduate
None
No lab has been assigned to this project