Ioxus introduces high-temperature ultracapacitors with Titan technology; targeting automotive and transport

12 December 2014

Ioxus, a manufacturer of premium performance ultracapacitor technology for use in transportation, industrial and energy applications, has introduced high-temperature 1250 Farad (F) cells with Titan high-temperature technology. Titan follows Ioxus’ earlier release of the results of an extensive durability test of its flagship hybrid bus product, the 48V / 165F module. (Earlier post.)

Ioxus’ Titan technology meets a key automotive industry requirement: a system with a wider operating range that meets both cold and high temperature standards. Ioxus’ newest line of cells, designed with novel chemistry solutions for this market, function properly at temperature ranges of -40 to 85 °C, and deliver 2.7 volts at these temperatures.

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Ioxus draws a direct comparison to Maxwell’s DuraBlue technology, which cannot survive under the same conditions, Ioxus claims. Maxwell underperforms at 65°C when compared to Titan at 80°C, which has lower equivalent series resistance (ESR) and capacitance fade, higher initial capacitance, and far lower leakage current than Maxwell.

Top. Ioxus vs. Maxwell, capacitance and ESR endurance. Bottom. Ioxus vs. Maxwell, comparison endurance testing 2.7V at 85 ˚C. Click to enlarge.

Conventionally, increasing temperature shortens ultracapacitor design life and performance. Numerous research groups have explored technology to enable higher temperature supercapacitors, with a particular focus on the electrolyte and separator. (In 2013, a team from Rice University reported designing supercapacitor reliable at temperatures of up to 200 ˚C by using a novel clay-based membrane electrolyte.)

This 85°C performance benchmark required us to make significant advances in the fundamental science behind ultracapacitor performance. Titan encompasses the fields of electrochemistry, surface chemistry and physical chemistry, just to name a few. Our innovations have allowed us to achieve one of the biggest technological advances in ultracapacitor technology since commercialization.