Scientists at George Washington University have devised a new technique to manufacture super-capacitors at a fraction of the current cost.

The research team made the new ultracapacitor out of graphene flakes and single-walled carbon nanotubes by using a special technique involving a high voltage arc. They then combined graphene flakes and carbon nanotubes, spread them on paper, and rolled them into a new light-weight, high-performance, low cost ultracapacitor.

Ultracapacitors sometimes called Supercapacitors are generic terms for a family of new electrochemical capacitors. These devices don't have a conventional solid dielectric. Rather the capacitance value is determined by two storage principles, which both contribute to the devices total capacitance.

The significance of this new ultracapacitor is its light weight and low cost making it useful in a variety of tasks from acting as a source of voltage to maintain static memory to larger jobs such as being part of the power system in electric cars.

Further details - tinyurl.com/low-cost-ultracapacitor