HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCAPACITOR

• US 20130342962A1
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: FLETCHER, STEPHEN, BLACK, VICTORIA
• Granted Patent: US 9,318,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/14 Arrangements or processes for adjusting or protecting hybrid or EDL capacitors emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for capacitors, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions H02H7/16; emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltages without disconnection H02H9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/18 against thermal overloads, e.g. heating, cooling or ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/24 characterised by structural features of the materials making up or comprised in the electrodes, e.g. form, surface area or porosity; characterised by the structural features of powders or particles used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/28 arranged or disposed on a current collector; Layers or phases between electrodes and current collectors, e.g. adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/62 characterised by the solute, e.g. salts, anions or cations therein
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/64 characterised by additives
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/70 characterised by their structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

A supercapacitor device having a housing and at least one supercapacitor cell disposed in the housing, where the supercapacitor cell may include: two working electrode layers separated by an electrode separator wherein each working electrode layer is electrically connected to a current collector supported upon an inert substrate layer; an electrolyte-impervious layer disposed between each working electrode layer and each conducting layer to protect the conducting layer; and an ionic liquid electrolyte disposed within the area occupied by the working electrode layers and the electrode separator, wherein the ionic liquid electrolyte has at least one cationic component comprising a central cation with an asymmetric arrangement of substituents bonded thereto. The ionic liquid electrolyte may be gelled by a silica gellant to inhibit electrolyte flow. The operating range of the supercapacitor device is at least 20-220° C.

Claims

1. A supercapacitor device, comprising:

a housing; and

at least one supercapacitor cell disposed in the housing, the supercapacitor cell comprising;

two working electrode layers separated by an electrode separator wherein each working electrode layer is electrically connected to a current collector supported upon an inert substrate layer;

an electrolyte-impervious layer disposed between each working electrode layer and each conducting layer to protect the conducting layer; and

an ionic liquid electrolyte disposed within the area occupied by the working electrode layers and the electrode separator, wherein the ionic liquid electrolyte has at least one cationic component comprising a central cation with an asymmetric arrangement of substituents bonded thereto.

2. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, wherein the cationic component has the generic formula (R_x)_nZ⁺ where Z⁺ is the ammonium, phosphonium, or sulfonium cation, the R_x substituents are linear or branched alkyl groups comprising 1-12 carbon atoms and may be the same alkyl group or different alkyl groups, n=4 for the ammonium and phosphonium cations, and n=3 for the sulfonium cation.

3. The supercapacitor device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the alkyl groups is larger than the others.

4. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid electrolyte comprise hexyltriethylammonium cations and/or butyltrimethylammonium cations paired with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions.

5. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, further comprising a silica gellant added to the ionic liquid electrolyte in the amount from about 1 to 15 weight % of the total weight of the electrolyte phase.

6. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, wherein the inert substrate comprises a glassy or polymeric material.

7. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, wherein the current collector comprises a conducting material chosen from carbon, aluminum, gold, silver, copper, or mixtures thereof

8. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte-impervious layer comprises a non-porous carbonaceous layer.

9. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, wherein the working electrode layers comprise a porous carbonaceous material.

10. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, wherein the electrode separator comprises glass fiber.

11. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said supercapacitors are connected in series or parallel.

12. The supercapacitor device of claim 1, further comprising an aqueous or non-aqueous diluent mixed with the ionic liquid electrolyte.

20. A downhole system having a supercapacitor device, comprising:

at least one downhole tool disposed within a wellbore;

a supercapacitor device in electrical connection with the at least one downhole tool;

wherein the supercapacitor comprises the supercapacitor of claim 1.

21. The downhole system of claim 20, further comprising at least one motor in electrical connection with the supercapacitor device.

13. A supercapacitor device, comprising:

a housing; and

at least one supercapacitor cell disposed in the housing, the supercapacitor cell comprising;

two working electrode layers separated by an electrode separator wherein each working electrode layer is electrically connected to a current collector supported upon an inert substrate layer;

an electrolyte-impervious layer disposed between each working electrode layer and each current collector; and

an electrolyte disposed within the area occupied by the working electrode layers and the electrode separator, the electrolyte comprising a continuous phase of an inert ionic liquid.

14. The supercapacitor device of claim 13, wherein a cationic component of the inert ionic liquid has sufficiently large alkyl group substituents that the probability of electron tunneling is diminished.

15. The supercapacitor device of claim 13, wherein the continuous phase of inert ionic liquid is comprised of at least one substituted central cation.

16. The supercapacitor device of claim 15, wherein the at least one substituted central cation is substituted by linear or branched alkyl groups comprising from 1-12 carbons.

17. The supercapacitor device of claim 13, wherein the inert ionic liquid comprises hexyltriethylammonium cations and/or butyltrimethylammonium cations paired with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions.

18. The supercapacitor device of claim 13, further comprising a silica gellant added to the inert ionic liquid in the amount from about 1 to 15 wt % of the total weight of the electrolyte phase.

19. The supercapacitor device of claim 13, further comprising an aqueous or non-aqueous diluent added to the inert ionic liquid.