On Friday at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a high school student named Esha Khare (who specializes in nanochemistry) placed in the top three for creation of a super-capacitor that someday could charge mobile devices within 20-30 seconds.
Capacitors are electronic components that store energy like batteries but with some differences. Batteries can hold a lot of charge with low voltage and discharge their energy slowly. Capacitors do not hold a lot of charge but can hold extremely high voltages and are capable of discharging very quickly. Capacitors do not store their energy in chemicals like batteries and can be small.
Until now their low storage capacity has meant we can’t use capacitors in place of batteries. This new device apparently has the advantages of both; high energy capacity coupled with small size. When fully developed it could mean a radical shift in the way any device that uses batteries is designed.
The new device can withstand 10,000 charge and recharge cycles compared to normal rechargeable batteries that can withstand 1,000 charge and recharge cycles. Currently Esha Khare’s invention is being used to power LEDs, but the $50,000 scholarship winner has gained attention for major tech companies including Google.
Read more here: NBC News – Technology.