A collaboration between researchers from Superdielectrics Group and the University of Bristol, U.K., has resulted in an efficient energy storage alternative to lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries. The Faraday 1 hybrid energy storage system combines supercapacitors with electrochemical batteries to form a novel aqueous polymer-based energy storage technology.

Source: Superdielectrics Group

The system has been demonstrated to outperform lead-acid batteries for storing fluctuating and intermittent renewable energy and offers scope to match or better existing lithium-ion batteries. Assembled with an ion-selective membrane and abundant, low-cost core materials, the Faraday I provides the benefits of rapid charging and sustainability in an energy storage device in which up to 93% of the materials can be recycled.

The highly efficient energy storage system charges over 10 times faster than lead-acid batteries with high cycle life and is reported to operate with a negligible fire risk.

“Constructionally, everything we have, our IP, is based on crosslinked hydrophilic polymer materials. Crosslinked means the polymer chains are interconnected in a sort of 3D matrix, which gives the polymer strength and self-supporting characteristics,” explained Marcus Newborough, director of R&D of Superdielectrics. “The membrane is ion-selective. So we can do electrochemistry, as well as electrostatic storage. It's very, very low cost as a polymer compared with the industry…roughly 50% of our materials are made of water. It's a very benign substance…there's no lithium, no cadmium, no cobalt.”