Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Evaluating the Electrochemical Properties of Supercapacitors using the Three-Electrode System
Published on: January 7, 2022
Charging dynamics of supercapacitors with narrow cylindrical nanopores
Alpha A Lee1, Svyatoslav Kondrat, Gleb Oshanin
1Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
Abstract:
We present a coarse-grained, continuum kinetic theory for charging supercapacitors with narrow cylindrical nanopores. The theory reveals that the occupancy of a nonpolarized pore and the energy barrier for ion-ion interdiffusion are the key issues controlling the different regimes of dynamic response. For 'ionophobic' pores, where the pore is empty at no applied voltage, charge density advances into the pore via diffusion-like dynamics. The mechanism of charging an 'ionophilic' pore is starkly different: for moderate ionophilicities, co-ions are expelled from the pore in a front-like manner, with significant 'congestion' at the pore entrance predicted for strong ionophilicity. We thus show that pore ionophilicity is detrimental to the speed of charging/discharging cycles, whereas making pores more ionophobic can substantially accelerate charging and cyclic recharging.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Spherical and Cylindrical Capacitor
Conventionally, considering the symmetry, the electric field between the concentric shells of a spherical capacitor is directed radially outward. The magnitude of the field,...
MOS Capacitor
The metal gate is typically made from highly conductive materials such as aluminum or polysilicon. Beneath the metal gate lies a thin layer of...
Capacitor With A Dielectric
Dielectrics are non-conducting materials with no free or loosely bound electrons. When a dielectric is...
Energy Stored in Capacitors
By integrating the equation that relates voltage and current in a capacitor, one can derive an equation for the voltage across the capacitor at any given time. This equation is crucial in understanding and predicting the behavior of capacitors in...
Capacitors
When a voltage source is connected to a capacitor, positive and negative charges accumulate on the opposite plates. This accumulation generates a potential difference that equals the product of the...
Energy Stored in a Capacitor: Problem Solving
Capacitor-discharge ignition is a type of ignition system commonly found in small engines where the energy released from a capacitor ignites an induction coil that, in turn, fires the spark plug.
To calculate the energy stored in a capacitor of...

