Double layer capacitor

Claim 2

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in solution therein, the voltage regulating agent having a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 moles per liter of electrolyte; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 3

The double layer capacitor cell of claim 1 wherein the surface area of the carbon electrode is in the range of 100-2,000 m 2 /g.

Claim 4

A double layer capacitor cell of claim 1 wherein the surface area of the carbon is in the range of 500-1,500 m 2 /g.

Claim 5

The double layer capacitor cell of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte comprises a salt dissolved in an organic solvent.

Claim 6

The double layer capacitor cell of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte is an aqueous solution of an acid and the voltage regulating ion is a bromide.

Claim 7

The double layer capacitor cell of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte is aqueous sulfuric acid and the voltage regulating ion is a bromide.

Claim 8

The capacitor cell of claim 1 wherein the voltage regulating agent is bromide.

Claim 9

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in solution therein, wherein the concentration of the voltage regulating agent ranges from about 0.1 to about 3.0 moles per liter of electrolyte; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 10

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in solution therein, wherein the concentration of the voltage regulating agent ranges from about 0.1 to about 3.0 moles per liter of electrolyte; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 11

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in solution therein, wherein the concentration of the voltage regulating agent ranges from about 0.5 to about 1.5 moles per liter of electrolyte; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 12

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in solution therein, wherein the concentration of the voltage regulating agent ranges from about 0.5 to about 1.5 moles per liter of electrolyte; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 13

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in solution therein, wherein the voltage regulating agent has an oxidation potential between about 0.6 volts and about 1.2 volts; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 14

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in solution therein, wherein the voltage regulating agent has an oxidation potential between about 0.6 volts and about 1.2 volts; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 15

An improved double layer capacitor comprising a plurality of cells electronically connected, the cells each comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of activated carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte, said electrolyte having, as a minor constituent, a solubilized ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide functioning as a voltage regulating agent, said voltage regulating agent having a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 moles per liter of electrolyte; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 16

An improved double layer capacitor comprising a plurality of cells electronically connected, the cells each comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode both comprised of activated carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte, said electrolyte having, as a minor constituent, a solubilized ion selected from the group of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide functioning as a voltage regulating agent, said voltage regulating agent having a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 moles per liter of electrolyte; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 17

A double layer capacitor comprising a housing, at least one pair of spaced carbon paste electrodes in the housing, the electrodes being self-supporting bodies compressed from a viscous paste of carbon particles, and a liquid electrolyte, said electrolyte containing, as a minor constituent, a solubilized bromide ion in amount sufficient to provide a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 moles per liter of electrolyte, an ionically conductive separator means between and in contact with the electrodes electronically separating the electrodes from each other, and a pair of ion insulating connectors impervious to the electrolyte and electronically connected to the electrodes.

Claim 18

A double layer capacitor comprising a housing, at least one pair of spaced carbon paste electrodes in the housing, the electrodes being self-supporting bodies compressed from a viscous paste of carbon particles, and a liquid electrolyte, said electrolyte containing, as a minor constituent, a solubilized bromide ion in amount sufficient to provide a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 moles per liter of electrolyte, an ionically conductive separator means between and in contact with the electrodes electronically separating the electrodes from each other, and a pair of ion insulating connectors impervious to the electrolyte and electronically connected to the electrodes.

Claim 19

A process for balancing the leakage current of individual cells stacked in series in a double layer capacitor, each cell having a positive and a negative electrode wherein said electrodes are comprised of active carbon substantially free of absorbed gases, an electrolyte, and first and second ion insulating connectors impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically contacted to the positive electrode and the second connector is electronically contacted to the negative electrode, the process comprising introducing into the electrolyte a voltage regulating agent selected from the group consisting of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 moles per liter of electrolyte.

Claim 20

A process for balancing the leakage current of individual cells stacked in series in a double layer capacitor, each cell having a positive and a negative electrode wherein said electrodes are comprised of active carbon substantially free of absorbed gases, an electrolyte, and first and second ion insulating connectors impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically contacted to the positive electrode and the second connector is electronically contacted to the negative electrode, the process comprising introducing into the electrolyte a voltage regulating agent selected from the group consisting of bromide, chloride, fluoride and iodide in a concentration ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 moles per liter of electrolyte.

Claim 21

An improved double layer capacitor cell for stacking in electronic contact with similar cells to provide capacitors having a predetermined capacitance value, said double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive electrode and a negative electrode both comprised of activated carbon in admixture or permeated with a liquid electrolyte, said liquid electrolyte containing, as a minor constituent, a solubilized voltage regulating bromide ion provided by dissolving HBr in the electrolyte; (b) a solid porous ionically conductive separator between the positive and the negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion-insulating electronically conductive connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is in contact with and electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is in contact with and electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 22

An improved double layer capacitor cell for stacking in electronic contact with similar cells to provide capacitors having a predetermined capacitance value, said double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive electrode and a negative electrode both comprised of activated carbon in admixture or permeated with a liquid electrolyte, said liquid electrolyte containing, as a minor constituent, a solubilized voltage regulating bromide ion provided by dissolving HBr in the electrolyte; (b) a solid porous ionically conductive separator between the positive and the negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion-insulating electronically conductive connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is in contact with and electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is in contact with and electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 23

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode bath comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating bromide ion provided in the electrolyte by the addition of HBr thereto; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.

Claim 24

An improved double layer capacitor cell comprising: (a) a positive and a negative electrode bath comprised of carbon in admixture with a liquid electrolyte having a voltage regulating bromide ion provided in the electrolyte by the addition of HBr thereto; (b) a porous ionically conductive separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode; and (c) a first and a second ion insulating connector impervious to the electrolyte wherein the first connector is electronically connected to said positive electrode and the second connector is electronically connected to said negative electrode.