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弊社は株式会社エル光源（東京都江戸川区　取締役社長　清瀬慶太）と共同でブータン王国の無電化地域向けに大容量キャパシタ「プレムリス　Premlis A5000」を蓄電部に採用した可搬式ソーラーLED照明灯などを220セット受注しました。今般の資金はアジア開発銀行（ADB）が策定したアジアクリーンエネルギー基金（AEFC）より提供され、ブータン王国各地の学校、病院やその他の公共施設に配置されます。
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The Carbon Age: Dark element, brighter future

Advanced carbon-based materials can be used in a number of energy-related areas, including ultracapacitors, which store electrical charge on porous carbon electrodes. Creating a material with a lot of surface area, storage devices can hold more charge. Ultracapacitors, which charge and discharge power rapidly, are being considered as a complement to batteries for different applications, including electric vehicles.
(Credit: Energ2)
September 29, 2010 10:30 AM PDT
by Aaron Feaver
Editors' note: This is a guest column. See Aaron Feaver's bio below.

Humankind has seen the Stone Age, the Golden Age, and the Iron Age. Some would argue the 20th century should be called the Silicon Age. Based on the events of its first 10 years, the 21st century may very well become known as the Carbon Age.
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20017972-54.html#ixzz173POlcz0
An important tension is unfolding between two types of carbon--atmospheric carbon in the form of carbon dioxide emissions, and elemental carbon as a building block for a new generation of devices designed to manage and abate those same pollutants. Our way of life has become dependent on energy generated by the process of extracting carbon from the earth in the form of fossil fuels and then burning it to form carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, we have begun developing carbon in solid form as an advanced material to counter the effects of its atmospheric cousin.

From the days of Thomas Edison, when an exhaustive list of carbon fibers were pyrolyzed, or thermochemically decomposed sans oxygen, from natural materials to form the filaments of the first successful lightbulb, to the development of activated carbon as the first commercial nanomaterial, to the discovery of buckyballs and the invention of carbon nanotubes, carbon has always generated an abundance of near-term change, cutting-edge breakthroughs, and even economic prosperity.

Our future will be brighter because new materials built on the many allotropes of carbon will function as the base-building blocks for a host of solutions--including cleaner batteries, cleaner water, and cleaner air--that will benefit our society, our economies, and our planet.


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There are legions of carbon-based innovations to watch between now and 2020. As the research deepens and expands, and the technologies are fully developed and rolled out, new products and processes will be embraced by the automotive industry for hybrid electric vehicles, by electronics manufacturers for enhancing the life and usability of consumer goods, and by a variety of industrial customers to deliver an ever-increasing breadth of new ways to improve energy efficiency.

Here are the highlights of what we can expect:

Lithium ion batteries
They are among the best-performing batteries because of their combination of relatively high power and energy density. They also, unfortunately, have a very high cost. While relatively well known in the market, the role of their carbon ingredients is less understood and appreciated. These batteries use a lithium-based oxide cathode, which can store an abundance of lithium but is not conductive.

In many cases, carbon is added to this cathode as a conductivity enhancer to reduce resistance and increase the power capability of the cell. In addition, the active component of the anode is nearly 100 percent carbon. Look for enhancements in lithium ion battery performance to continue, but this time based on carbon anode advancements. The graphite anode will be replaced with high surface area carbons, or carbon-based nanocomposites comprised of carbon- and lithium-alloying elements such as silicon, aluminum, and tin, which will enable doubling or tripling energy and power density. This will result in longer-lived batteries with more power and energy for all kinds of applications, including consumer electronics such as laptops and cell phones, as well as hybrid or plug-in vehicles.

Carbon fiber
It is spurring a new generation of lightweight vehicles that could entirely eschew steel. Prices are dropping as volumes increase. Lightweight carbon fiber, combined with lightweight aluminum, is dramatically decreasing the weight of vehicles and increasing fuel efficiency. This trend can continue, if carbon fiber technology advances and becomes less costly. As is the case in aerospace, where half of efficiency gains are from engine improvements and half of the gains are from weight reduction, automobiles will begin to move into a new paradigm where "lightweighting" is seen as a major way to increase miles per gallon.

We currently all drive vehicles that are an order of magnitude heavier than the passengers they carry. By combining the energy and power improvements derived from carbon in energy storage systems with carbon-based lightweight vehicles, we may soon see reasonably priced all-electric automobiles that take off like Ferraris, have a 500- mile driving range, and have the capability to safely carry five passengers and all their luggage.

Ultracapacitors
Wholly dependent on the performance of their carbon electrodes, they store and release energy an order of magnitude faster than batteries. Ultracapacitors are typically used for power supply and kinetic energy recapture in industrial environments, grid augmentation, portable electronics, and energy storage for critical infrastructure and heavy hybrids like buses and garbage trucks. Look for ultracapacitors to enter the mainstream automotive industry as energy storage for start-stop, regenerative braking, and rapid acceleration in micro, mild, full, and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20017972-54.html#ixzz173PUKLlW


Enhancements to the carbon in ultracapacitors will enable increased voltage rating of devices, which will exponentially increase their energy and power. By 2012, we should anticipate that widespread adoption of microhybrids will begin, and engineered carbon will help usher in an era in which combustion engines no longer idle in traffic.

Pseudocapacitors
They combine the properties of batteries and ultracapacitors to deliver a device with higher power than a battery and higher energy density than an ultracapacitor. Pseudocapacitors are not widely available now, but look for a Japanese- and Korean-led push to introduce lithium ion-based devices, with carbon serving as a majority of the electrode material.

These devices will likely contain one carbon electrode that closely resembles an ultracapacitor and one graphitic carbon similar to a lithium ion anode. Both of these carbon materials will be tuned for this unique application, in terms of pore size, particle size, and surface area.

Just as ultracapacitors have bridged the difference between electrolytic capacitors and batteries, pseudocapacitors will further blur the line between ultracapacitors and batteries. There are many areas--including transportation, industrial, and renewable energy/grid applications--that will be enabled by an energy storage system where a million cycles (think ultracapacitors) is overkill, but where 1,000 cycles (think lithium ion batteries) is inadequate; this is where an energy/power compromise between the two technologies is needed.

Catalyst support platforms
They will be needed for a multitude of industrial and environmental applications, such as biofuels, hydrocarbon cracking and, potentially, reuse of atmospheric carbon dioxide. As developing countries embrace an appetite for first-world lifestyles, we will need to find ways to do more with less. Catalysts are a route for reducing the amount of energy needed to perform a huge array of industrial processes that--while invisible to most of us--are used to produce the products that we use every day.

Carbon materials are ideal catalyst supports because they can be relatively inert at high temperatures, are electrically conductive, are porous with a high surface area, and, especially in the case of synthetic nanocarbons, can readily accommodate the addition of catalyst materials in their manufacturing processes.

As nanoscale catalysts become mainstream and move into more established industries, watch for low-cost nanostructured carbon to be a key support material for improving the efficiency of the reactions that enable everything from drugs to bulk chemicals to food to energy.

Fuel cells
They were actually invented before the internal combustion engine, but the technology quickly fell by the wayside, as diesel- and gasoline-fueled engines became more ubiquitous. Various types of fuel cells have experienced a brief resurgence over the last 10 years, as the promise of the hydrogen economy gained momentum. These devices use an electrochemical reaction, rather than combustion to oxidize various fuels, and the result is direct generation of electrons at the electrode.

Carbon can be used in many fuel cell chemistries but is most often used as an electrode in one type of fuel cell--the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, or PEM. Carbon is combined with a catalyst to create the "triple point," where fuel, oxidant, and catalyst comingle in an electrically conductive environment that enables the reaction. As hydrogen research begins to develop low-cost methods for production and storage of this high-energy gas, look for a rejuvenation of PEM fuel cells as an energy source. By replacing platinum with a cheaper nanoscale catalyst, carbon will drive substantial cost reductions while improving efficiency in PEM fuel cells.

Capacitive deionization
This is a relatively new technology for desalination and water treatment. Even as our reliance on--and conflicts over--petroleum decrease, new battles (both philosophical and physical) will be fought over fresh water. Capacitive deionization of salt water creates freshwater by the adsorption of ions in an electric field at the surface of porous carbon electrodes.

In many ways, capacitive deionization uses a structure like an ultracapacitor, with contaminated or salt water as the electrolyte. The process is constantly recyclable, and contaminants are removed from the system without the need to change a filter.

In the United States, we have already seen internal strife, as states vie for the water resources of the Colorado River. This conflict pales in comparison to that surrounding the stressed Himalayan Watershed, which supplies 47 percent of the world's population with water. Watch for capacitive deionization to become more mainstream, as population centers look to the oceans for their water supplies, and as the carbon technology enabling it becomes less expensive.

Adsorbed natural gas storage
Also known as ANG storage, this technology makes use of activated microporous carbons that function just like a natural-gas sponge. ANG storage containers enabled by advanced carbon technology allow for increased safety, more flexible form factors for vehicular applications, and decreased cost, due to compressor inefficiencies. These attributes will all contribute toward wider adoption of natural gas as a transportation fuel, and this can substantially reduce carbon emissions.

The right carbon will allow ANG vehicles to reach performance parity with gasoline at a much lower cost to the environment. In the future, net-zero carbon dioxide methane--produced by combining renewable energy, carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide, and hydrogen from water--could be used to power hybrid vehicles.

While many are working on hydrogen as the ultimate clean fuel, the relative ease of storing methane in carbon-based ANG systems, as well as its compatibility with fuel cells, internal combustion engines, and grid-level power plants, could make renewable methane a more affordable clean fuel of the future.

Hydrogen storage
It can be accomplished using high-density solid materials instead of compressed or liquefied hydrogen. Research is focused on chemical compounds that reversibly store and release hydrogen during an exothermic or endothermic reaction. Carbon will be used as a support matrix in improving the cyclability and kinetics of these solid-state hydrogen materials.

Heat needs to be added and removed for these reactions to take place, and the materials often need to be maintained at the nanoscale; both of these attributes can be improved through the addition of carbon. By inserting high-density hydrogen storage compounds into the nanopores of custom-designed carbons, those materials can remain confined at the nanoscale, while in intimate contact with a heat conduction medium--the carbon--to improve heat flow in or out of the system, as they undergo thermodynamically active changes.

Batteries are the leading technology for portable energy storage, but look for hydrogen storage and fuel cells to become competitive, as the research evolves over the next 10 years.


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Every generation has its own favorite elements on the periodic table. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, gold and silver were economic motivators; later on, sulfur for gunpowder became a force to be reckoned with; the nuclear era brought uranium to the top; information technology made silicon a star; and now some clean-technology analysts are focused on lithium. From my perspective, however, the future is about carbon.

Carbon may present itself in a dark, black form, but I believe that it presages brighter days ahead for all of us. That's part of the supreme irony: when it appears as part of carbon dioxide, carbon pollutes the atmosphere; when it's deployed in its pure and unadulterated form, however, it can play a major role in scrubbing clean our skies and our waterways--and that's welcome news for the many generations to come.

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TPL EnerPak™ Energy Harvesting Power Management System Completes Two-Year Performance in Utility’s Wireless Sensor Network Trial

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- TPL, Inc., a New Mexico research and development company, announced today that the patented EnerPak™ energy harvesting power management systems have successfully completed two years of field-testing. Several EnerPak™ systems are powering a network of wireless measurement sensors that monitor the performance of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)-insulated components. These components are at a power substation owned by Public Service of New Mexico (PNM), New Mexico's largest electric utility, in Albuquerque, NM. This significant milestone demonstrates the performance and reliability of self-powered wireless sensors and networks using the EnerPak™ power management system. The EnerPak™ leverages the ultra-low-power MSP430™ microcontroller (MCU) from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI).

SF6 is one of the worst greenhouse gases in existence. PNM developed a wireless measurement and reporting system to continuously measure the integrity of the components that use SF6, to reduce the potential damage to the environment. When the utility first trialed their system, using conventional batteries for sensor powering, they found the batteries failing within a few weeks. PNM then turned to TPL to determine if TPL's EnerPak™ could provide reliable, long-term power for their wireless sensor network. The EnerPak power systems replaced the conventional battery power system in September, 2008.

In the two years of operation at the Albuquerque substation, the eight EnerPak™ power supplies, each integrated with a small photovoltaic array, have performed reliably and consistently. In fact, the power supplies and sensors have been operating continuously since the trial began, achieving tens of thousands of discharge-charge cycles from each of the EnerPak systems.

In addition to traditional product testing, this real-world field-evaluation continues to demonstrate the long-term performance of the EnerPak™ supercapacitor-battery power management system and TI's ultra-low-power MSP430 MCU. The sensor network includes both sensor node-to-sensor node wireless communications as well as wireless transmission of data to a central gateway processing station, both requiring sizeable power bursts. During the trial, the EnerPak™ systems have experienced heavy rain, strong winds and dust, as well as snow. Summer temperatures have exceeded 100 degF, with winter temperatures dropping as low 5 degF.

Steve Willard, PNM's engineer responsible for the development of the SF6 monitoring system, said the performance of EnerPak™ "... continues to meet all of the powering requirements demanded by the sensor network." Willard added that the use of wireless sensor networks demand a long-term power management solution like EnerPak™ because of the costs associated with the frequent replacement of conventional batteries.

EnerPak™ optimizes the combined performance of supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries, in order to deliver the best power management for autonomous devices like industrial sensors, wireless gateways and video surveillance. Through a unique microprocessor/charge pump configuration, the harvested energy is either used by the sensor or efficiently stored for later use. Also, the supercapacitors very efficiently provide high pulse power. The rechargeable battery, because of its high energy density, serves as the primary energy storage source, acting as a reserve when the energy harvesting source is not able to provide enough system power.

Using TI's MSP430 MCU for system control, the EnerPak™ delivers the most harvested energy for each application load. The system is also capable of extracting energy from a variety of energy harvesting devices such as photovoltaic arrays, thermoelectric generators, vibration harvesters, and other generator devices.

"The energy harvesting market is poised for explosive growth as customers push the boundaries of expected battery life," says Adrian Valenzuela, Texas Instrument's MSP430 product marketing manager. "Thanks to innovations like TPL's EnerPak and TI's ultra-low-power MSP430 microcontrollers, wireless sensor networks are a prime candidate for next-generation, perpetually-powered systems."

In addition to TPL pursing the commercialization of the EnerPak power management circuit, Physical Acoustics, Inc., Princeton, NJ, a part of the Mistras Group, has licensed the SF6 monitoring technology from the electrical utility. They recently deployed their first commercial product, incorporating this monitoring capability in a New York utility location as a beta test site. While the beta monitoring package is utilizing a heavy-duty package of conventional batteries as its power supply, Physical Acoustics will evaluate the need for energy-harvesting and the EnerPak™ in their second generation SF6 monitoring product line.

TI enables innovation with broad range of microcontrollers

From general purpose, ultra-low-power MSP430 MCUs, to Stellaris® Cortex™ M3-based 32-bit MCUs and high performance, real-time-control TMS320C2000™ MCUs, TI offers the broadest range of microcontroller solutions. Designers can accelerate time to market by tapping into TI's complete software and hardware tools, extensive third-party offerings, and global technical support. For more information on TI's MCUs, please visit www.ti.com/mcu.

TPL's EnerPak™

TPL designs, develops and manufactures innovative low-power management systems for applications using energy harvested from the surrounding environment. The EnerPak™ products uniquely realize the potential of energy harvesting systems for meeting the power needs of wireless sensors and other autonomous devices. TPL's design uses energy harvesters to provide continuous low-level power while simultaneously charging energy storage systems that provide back-up and pulse power capabilities. For further information please contact Trista Mosman at (505) 342-4439 or tmosman@tplinc.com, or visit the company's web site, www.tplinc.com.


SOURCE TPL, Inc.

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CSIRO engineers study off-the-grid tech

CSIRO's mini-grid research lab in Newcastle. photo: David Cornforth, CSIRO
By Nate Cochrane on Sep 27, 2010 3:10 PM
Filed under Networking
CSIRO scientists turn to biology, computer science to model next-gen electricity network.
Imagine a world where the power grid you relied on was just you, a few neighbours, perhaps a data centre and an office block and a lot of self-generating devices such as solar panels and a wind turbine or two.

You would be insulated if the wider electricity grid fell over because too many people amped up their air-conditioners for a few hours on the hottest summer days of the year. And at other times, you could sell your excess power back into the grid.

Such was the promise of micro or mini-grids researched by the CSIRO at its Newcastle and Melbourne test labs.

Mini-grid researcher David Cornforth said the growth of such localised grids would bring with it a need for glue to federate their storage and output to protect the wider grid in times of high stress and "at the moment there's no standard for how the mini-grid operator" will function.

It was likely that an analogue to the data-peering exchanges that were common on internet service provider networks would find a place with power-sharing arrangements between micro-grids. Interest was so great that CSIRO will host an international mini-grids conference in November.

"The operator could be totally selfish and say, 'I'm just going to operate this mini-grid for my own benefit; I will just take power from the grid when I need it'.

"[But] a mini-grid could operate for the benefit of the wider grid, as well.

"A mini-grid could say, for example, if circumstances are bad in wider grid [and] if there's a lack of power, I'll forego my grid's immediate needs and supply some power to the wider grid."

Dr Cornforth, who will speak at the IQPC Smart Grids Forum in November, said there was only a handful of such grids in Australia but analysts forecast their numbers to swell.

The advantages of well-behaved micro-grids were obvious for energy companies, who currently build their networks to cater for peak use two to three hours a year.

By taking some of the strain off the wider grid or, even better, pumping energy from backup battery stores back in during peak loads, investment on infrastructure was deferred while bolstering the grid against external shocks.

For instance, the Energy Supply Association of Australia estimated its members will spend $50 billion over the next five years in infrastructure, mostly to reinforce the network for such supply shocks.

"If you have localised control then the operator of the micro-grid can control what amount of renewable energy is connected and the operator can decide a load shedding scheme to reduce the amount of demand at peak times or should we shift loads to different times of the day," Dr Cornforth said.

There was a "lot of uncertainty" around broader smart grid projects so micro-grids could provide a low-cost, low-risk entree for power companies considering bringing their electricity networks into the 21st century, he said.

Not quite Skynet, yet

"The smart grid will become the largest control and measurement system on the planet when it takes off and mini-grids will be one of the answers to deal with that complexity," he said.

CSIRO researchers were turning to biology and complex systems theory to understand how a smart grid comprised of micro-grids would operate. And it was developing "protocols" so all components on the smart grid spoke the same language.

"The smart grid won't be just about power engineering - it will also be about intelligent systems, communications and will involve disciplines from computer science such as artificial intelligence to come up with planning tools to enable those kind of protocols to work."

Researchers were investigating advanced computer simulation, optimisation and planning tools to predict how mini-grids will interact with the wider grid, he said.

And although micro-grids could offer stability to the wider grid in times of stress, they were themselves susceptible to shocks because of their limited power generation and storage.

"We found in isolated mini-grids the traditional approach to fault protection won't be effective and that's because of the nature of generation sources in mini-grids that are renewable and of limited capacity.

"In mini-grids, you have smaller capacity because the sources often can't supply large currents. We have to look at different methods of detecting faults and smarter" ways to correct them, he said.

The days of utilities finding out about interruptions to supply when consumers light up their contact centres with complaints were ending, he said. In future, pattern recognition software will identify pending failures by measuring such inputs as changes in voltages at key points across the grid, he said.

Data centres, bush to benefit

Data centre operators and rural communities were likely to be beneficiaries of early research.

"This is an area of interest to a lot of utilities particularly with rural communities on the end of long power lines.

"You have a problem, do we upgrade the power line going to this remote area to provide them with a more reliable power source? Utilities are doing cost-benefit analyses to see if it may be more feasible to put that remote community into a micro-grid and put generation where it's being used rather than upgrade the power line."

Data centres were using renewable energy and "essentially running their own mini-grids", he said.

"Data centres are a big [candidate for micro-grids] because they use a lot of energy and create a lot of heat so some could be recycled for heating the buildings to reduce energy costs and there's good scope for incorporating renewable energy in those sites."

The researchers were simulating the best batteries to use in different scenarios that included company-generation of power. The CSIRO labs were evaluating three types: lead-acid, "flow battery" and its own "ultrabattery" technology that integrated a supercapacitor and was being commercialised in the US and Japan, he said.

"You need a simulation tool that gives you accurate results so you can try out these combinations," Dr Cornforth said.

"We can put different types of battery technology in there with solar and wind, combining heat generation with electricity generation. Turbines create a lot of heat as well as electricity and you can use that heat locally; instead of wasting it you pipe the heat to heat the building [co-generation].

"There's a need for a planning tool to cope with all those variables and allows you to create targets - if you have more than one target it's very difficult to combine them."

CSIRO was using a computer technique called "genetic algorithms" that were inspired by models of biological evolution and which could be packaged and sold to data network providers.

"The idea is you have a whole population of solutions to the problems and you let them fight it out until the best one wins," he said.

"We've been able to provide a software tool that gives you a population of answers that's the winner so it's the fittest group of solutions - if you want to trade off two targets, you may find you save a lot a greenhouse gases but it will cost a lot so how do I find a solution between those and plot them on the graph and pick something in the middle?"

Dr Cornforth will speak at the second annual IQPC Smart Grids Forum in Sydney on 15-17 November.

Copyright © iTnews.com.au . All rights reserved.




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Ioxus Acquires Advanced Energy Conversion (AEC) to Deliver Full Range Ultracapacitor Cells and Modules

By Green Car Congress on 09/27/2010 – 7:05 am PDTLeave a Comment

Ultracapacitor company Ioxus, Inc. has acquired Advanced Energy Conversion (AEC), which specializes in energy conversion systems using embedded controls, power electronics, and electric machines.

Ioxus will incorporate AEC products into its current offerings to deliver energy-efficient systems solutions for hybrid electric vehicles, wind pitch control and other energy storage applications.

Ioxus, which worked with AEC on several projects prior to the acquisition, plans to expand AEC’s 12-member staff and retain its New York-based property, creating local jobs and maintaining its status as the only ultracapacitor company manufacturing exclusively in the United States.

The acquisition of AEC boosts our ability to quickly customize our products’ design to meet the individual needs of our clients, whether they are looking for individual large cell prismatic electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLC) or a complete system.

—Mark McGough, CEO of Ioxus

For more than 10 years, AEC designed, tested and produced electronic power converters, embedded control systems, and electric machines for customers including John Deere, General Motors, American Electric Power, the Department of the Navy, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.



Tags: Advanced, AEC, control, double layer capacitors, electronic power converters, energy conversion systems

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ISE Signs Exclusive 5-Year Agreement With Optare to Supply Ultracapacitor-based Energy Storage Systems for Buses
ISE Will Display Olympics-Bound Hydrogen Fuel Cell Series Hybrid Bus with Ultracapacitor Energy Storage
Tandem Expansion Invests in Power Conversion and Management Company Delta-Q


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New 125 Volt / 62 Farad Ultra Capacitor Multi-Cell Module for Heavy Hybrid and Industrial Applications

Logistics & Transport
Press release from: CapComp GmbH
PR Agency: GlamDesign Public Relations
openPR) - Capcomp GmbH introduces availability of 125 Volt Ultra Capacitor Multi-Cell Module with a capacity of 62 Farad. This product is developed and manufactured by NESSCAP Ltd. South Korea. The product concept was designed to meet specific market requirements for robust, compact, energy dense and long cycle life alternatives to battery applications.

The main focus is on market applications like: Hybrid-bus, Tram, Metro or specific hybrid vehicles like dumping- truck to recuperate electric brake-energy or other methods. This module can also be used in industrial applications where high current energy (discharge) or very fast energy storage (charge) is required. For example excavator, harbor-crane or all terrain vehicles.


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Researchers champion new ultracapacitor

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September 24, 2010


Researchers in the US have created a new 'ultracapacitor' which is capable of charging and discharging in under 200 microseconds, it emerged this week.

John Miller and his colleagues from JME Inc and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio conducted tests on the electric double-layer capacitor.

They concluded that the device could be ideal for hybrid vehicles, computer processing units (CPUs) or other tiny integrated circuits.

Featuring nanometre-scale graphene electrodes, the ultracapacitor was found to operate efficiently at frequencies below approximately 0.05Hz.

However, it also works less effectively at higher frequencies as the electrodes are porous, which turns it more into a resistor than a capacitor.

"The bottom line is that these devices could lead to smaller higher-frequency capacitors for applications in low-voltage systems like CPUs and similar integrated circuits," said Mr Miller.

Further tests on the device are now planned, mainly focusing on how the graphene electrode material can be grown.

The results of the research can be viewed in the latest issue of the journal Science.

Rapid Electronics is a leading UK supplier of energy saving products, electronic components and electrical equipment.




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Graphene makes 'supercapacitor'

Plan view of vertically-oriented graphene electrode, showing irregular morphology of the surface (exposed edge planes). (Courtesy: J Miller)
Researchers in the US have made the first high-frequency AC "supercapacitors" containing graphene electrodes. The devices, which are much smaller than conventional capacitors, could be used in applications like computer processing units and other tiny integrated circuits.

Capacitors are devices that store electric charge. "Supercapacitors", more accurately known as electric double-layer capacitors (DLCs) or electrochemical capacitors, can store much more charge thanks to the double layer formed at an electrolyte-electrode interface when voltage is applied.

Commercial DLCs are extremely powerful when compared with batteries but they are essentially DC devices – that is, they take several seconds to fully charge and then several seconds to fully discharge again. They operate efficiently at frequencies below about 0.05 Hz and are therefore good for applications like hybrid vehicles, which can take up to 10 seconds to charge (when braking) and 10 seconds to discharge (when accelerating). However, at higher frequencies, they become much less efficient and start to behave like resistors rather than capacitors. This is because the devices usually contain porous electrodes made from a high-surface-area conductive material, such as activated carbon, and the pores increase the resistance of devices.

Now, John R Miller and colleagues of JME Inc. in Shaker Heights and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, both in Ohio, have overcome this problem by developing the first DLC that contains vertically oriented high-surface-area graphene electrodes that aren't porous at all. The device pushes the operating frequency of an electric double layer capacitor to well beyond 5000 Hz, which is a factor of 105 better than commercial DLCs. What's more, it is six times smaller than low-voltage aluminium electrolytic capacitors and can be charged and discharged at high efficiency in times much shorter than 1 ms.


The same electrode as in the previous figure, but this time showing both plan and shallow-angle views of the surface. (Courtesy: J Miller)


The researchers grew the graphene – 2D sheets of carbon just one atom thick – on a metal using a plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition process.

Such vertically oriented graphene sheets are ideal in terms of structure for high-frequency DLC electrode applications, says the team. They have many edge planes that can provide between 50 and 70 µF/cm2 of capacitance compared with basal planes, which only provide 3 µF/cm2. These charge-storage edge planes are highly exposed and can thus be accessed directly, which means that charge can be stored over precise areas rather than being dispersed over larger regions. And last but not least, the nanosheet "stacked" structure ensures that pores are reduced – so minimizing resistance – and the sheets themselves are highly conducting.

"The bottom line is that these devices could lead to smaller higher-frequency capacitors for applications in low-voltage systems like CPUs and similar integrated circuits," Miller said.

The research might also enable new classes of electronic circuit that use the much higher levels of capacitance that these devices make available, he adds.

The team, which includes scientists from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, both in Virginia, now plans to improve how the graphene electrode material is grown and optimize the design of the capacitive devices.

The work was published in Science.

About the author
Belle Dumé is a contributing editor to nanotechweb.org.


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Teething troubles for new super capacitor buses

By Xu Chi and Zha Minjie | 2010-12-3 |
IT was not the first time that Zhang, the driver of a No. 26 bus, had to explain patiently to a passenger why the bus was taking so much time in front of a green light before moving.

"Calm down, it's a super capacitor bus, so we have to feed it with electricity. Thank you for your understanding," said Zhang.

Zhang and other No. 26 bus drivers were quite excited when they were offered the opportunity to drive the World Expo buses - a fleet of 25 electrically-powered super capacitor buses which enjoy a good reputation for zero-emissions, less noise during operation and offering a more comfortable experience for passengers.

But after the Expo buses replaced the old ones last week, drivers found their work was actually getting tougher. They now have to keep their eyes on the dashboards, because whenever a yellow warning sign flashes, they have to recharge their vehicles. If they fail to do so, the buses will stop dead.

Although charging points have been set up at every stop along the route of the No. 26 bus, it is still not an easy task for drivers to get their vehicles recharged every 5 to 6 kilometers as the stops are often occupied by other cars and buses during rush hour.

On Changle Road, where a kindergarten and a hospital are situated, parents of children and relatives of patients park their vehicles all along the street, making it hard for buses to get into position and recharge.

During rush hour on some narrow streets, whenever the drivers get their buses into the recharging station, it takes up to four minutes to top up the battery and traffic jams are easily caused.

Another difficulty for the drivers is that they share stops with many other routes, so it is not always possible to get to the recharging station before the battery runs out. Even tree branches get in the way as the new buses are taller than the old ones.

The problems cast into doubt the fate of the Expo buses - should they be used along the routes where traffic is less crowded instead of on main downtown routes?

According to a senior technician surnamed Wu who works on the No. 11 bus fleet, which started using super capacity buses in 2006, the problems of No. 26 bus drivers can be solved with training courses and more time for both the drivers and passengers to get used to the new buses.

"We encountered similar problems when using the new buses four years ago," said Wu, "But when the drivers gained experience and learnt when and how to charge their buses properly and efficiently, all the problems disappeared."

The No. 11 buses run on Zhong-hua Road and Renmin Road, also a downtown area with narrow streets.


Read more: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2010/201012/20101203/article_456263.htm#ixzz171SWyOe7






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Graphene Ultracapacitor Could Shrink Systems

Image: Ron Outlaw/College of William and Mary

A more capacitor-like ultracapacitor could replace much bigger components
By Joseph Calamia / September 2010
23 September 2010—The ultracapacitor—the battery’s quicker cousin—just got faster and may one day help make portable electronics a lot smaller and lighter, according to a group of researchers. John Miller, president of the electrochemical capacitor company JME, in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and his team reported the new ultracapacitor design this week in Science.

Ultracapacitors don’t store quite as much charge as batteries but can charge and discharge in seconds rather than the minutes batteries take. This combination of speed and energy supply makes them attractive for things like regenerative braking, where the ultracapacitors would have only seconds to recharge as a car comes to a stop. But sometimes a second is still too long: Using nanometer-scale fins of graphene, the researchers built an ultracapacitor that can charge in less than a millisecond. This agility, its designers say, means that the devices could replace the ubiquitous bulky capacitors that smooth out the ripples in power supplies to free up precious space in gadgets and computers.

The ultracapacitor’s secret weapon is its surface area: While batteries store charge chemically, capacitors store it electrostatically—in electric fields formed between conducting surfaces. The larger the surface area on these conducting surfaces, the more room there is for charge. Ultracapacitors achieve this by using tiny nanometer-scale pores, such as those found in activated carbon, and boost how much charge each pore can hold by filling them with an ionic solution.

For decades, the goal has been to increase the total amount of charge an ultracapacitor can store while retaining its small size. More energy storage means that the capacitors can work quickly in applications that demand more energy than traditional capacitors, and deliver that energy faster than batteries can.

The price of hoarding charge—cramming it into hard-to-access nanotube tangles and activated carbon pores—is that some of the nimbleness needed to do the things ordinary capacitors can do has been sacrificed, says Miller. "Many people are trying to make these more battery-like," he says. "What we’ve done is make them more capacitor-like." Miller and his team got some of that nimbleness back by redesigning the ultracapacitor’s electrodes.

One team member, Ron Outlaw, a material scientist at the College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, Va., came up with an electrode consisting of up to 4 sheets of graphene—a one-atom-thick form of carbon with unusual electronic properties. The graphene was formed so that it stuck out vertically from a 10-nanometer-thick graphite base layer—what Miller describes as rows of 600-nm-tall "potato chips" standing on edge. It is much easier to get charge on and off chip surfaces, he says, than it is to get it off what he calls the "stacked potato chips" of earlier graphene ultracapacitors or off the "Swiss cheese–like" surface of activated carbon ultracapacitors. The earlier designs led to discharge "traffic jams."

Miller’s team, which also included Brian Holloway, a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), tested its graphene ultracapacitor in a filtering circuit, part of an AC rectifier. Many rectifiers leave a slight AC echo behind, called a "voltage ripple," and it’s the capacitor’s job to smooth it out. In order to do that, the capacitor needs to respond well at double the AC frequency—120 hertz in the United States.

Most commercial ultracapacitors fail at this filtering role at around 0.01 Hz, but when Miller’s team tested its ultracapacitor in such a 120-Hz filtering circuit, it did the job. That means the smaller ultracapacitors could replace the big electrolytic capacitors that do the filtering now. Miller estimates that a commercial version, operating at 2.5 volts, could be less that one-sixth the size of any other 120-Hz filtering technology.

"I think the work is exciting and marks an important advance that also looks reasonably likely to lead to improved methods for electrical energy storage while preserving good AC filtering performance," says Rod Ruoff, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and cofounder of Graphene Energy, which is also developing graphene ultracapacitors.

Outlaw says this is only a first effort. He is already increasing the capacitance of the device by making the nanosheets more parallel and taller—attempting to find the ideal balance between creating more charge storage space and restricting the flow of ions in the electrolyte. Still, he says this original work is already a major advance. "We are approaching an order of magnitude reduction in size and weight, which means great benefits to the electronics in many industries such as NASA, airlines, and the military," he says.
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Researchers create ultra-thin battery

The flexible battery tech is based on a dual-layer film coating a sheet of paper - and is just 300μm thick.
A team of scientists have created ultra-thin rechargeable batteries that sit on a single sheet of paper, heralding a future of slim, lightweight, bendable devices.

The breakthrough, made by Stanford materials scientists and reported over on Chemical & Engineering News, involves everyone's favourite future-chaining technology: carbon nanotubes.

By coating a solid support structure with the nanotubes, and coating that with a layer of metal-doped lithium - much the same material as used in today's lithium-ion batteries, the team created an energy-holding double-layered film. This film was then placed on both sides of a piece of standard paper, creating an ultra-slim, incredibly flexible rechargeable battery.

It's still early days for the technology, but the group's prototypes, which measure an incredible 300μm thick, demonstrate higher energy densities than existing thin battery types - and survived a 300 recharge cycle lifespan test.

If the technology takes off, and with its surprisingly simple construction methods there's no reason that it shouldn't, future portable devices could be no thicker than a sheet of card.

Better still, combined with work being carried out into flexible displays, it could be possible to create a smartphone, e-book reader or other portable gadget that rolls up for easy storage.

The team's work joins that of another group at Tsinghua University in Beijing, which PhysOrg reports has created an ultra-thin, flexible supercapacitor for wearable electronics projects.

Are you impressed at the work that has gone in to creating 'paper' batteries, or will it take an actual marketable product to get you excited? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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新開発ＨＳＴ搭載機などを国際物流総合展の出展

【コマツ】
　　コマツ　今回で９回目を迎えるアジア最大級の物流・ロジスティクス展示会である「国際物流総合展2010」が、９月14日【?】17日の４日間、東京ビッグサイトで開催された。４日間の入場者は12万6467人と盛況だった。
　今回のテーマは「豊かな未来を拓くロジスティクスイノベーション〜環境調和とグローバリゼーション〜」。海外を含めて400社以上が出展した会場には、最新の物流機器や情報サービスが展示され、来場者にこれからの物流・ロジスティクスのあり方をアピールしていた。
　そうしたなか注目を集めていたブースの一つが、近未来工場をモチーフにし、バーチャル工場見学ツアーを通じて最新のテクノジーを紹介していたコマツリフトだった。
　ブース入り口付近では、急速補充電で長時間稼動ができしかもクリーンで低騒音作業ができることなどから、全国の生鮮・青果・農産物を扱う市場などの現場で注目を集めているキャパシタハイブリッドシステム（C-Hybrid）搭載フォークリフトの試乗に大きな人だかりができていた。
　さらに進むと、走行駆動系にコマツ独自の油圧システム「電子制御ＨＳＴ」を、作業系には油圧システム「ＣＬＳＳ」を搭載。さらに低環境負荷ディーゼルエンジンを融合し低燃費と環境負荷低減し、さらに抜群の操作性を実現した「コマツ　トータルハイドロリック　システム（T-Hydraulic）」が参考出品され注目を集めていた。
　さらにこの車両には各車両の位置情報・稼働状況・燃費消費量などの情報を提供し、各車両を常にベストコンディションで使用できるようにする「ＫＯＭＴＲＡＸ」という情報システムを標準装備する予定だという。
　また、「３Ｄファクトリーシアター」では、「明日の物流現場」が超大型スクリーンによる３Ｄ映像で上映され、その迫力に観客は歓声をあげていた。

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Paper-thin supercapacitor has higher capacitance when twisted than any non-twisted supercapacitor

September 21, 2010 By Lisa Zyga
(A) Using three of the new highly flexible supercapacitors arranged in series, the researchers demonstrated lighting a red LED. (B) An illustration of the flexible, all-solid-state paper-like polymer supercapacitors. Image credit: Chuizhou Meng, et al. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

(PhysOrg.com) -- In an effort to develop wearable electronics, researchers have designed a new ultra-thin supercapacitor that has a capacitance that is six times higher than that of any current commercial supercapacitor. What's more, the new supercapacitor was tested in a twisted state to demonstrate its good electrochemical properties with high flexibility.

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The researchers, Chuizhou Meng, et al., from the Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center at Tsinghua University in Beijing have published their results in a recent issue of Nano Letters.

As the researchers explain, portable electronic devices are becoming increasingly small and flexible. However, the energy management components - e.g. batteries and supercapacitors - tend to lag behind the other components when it comes to small size and flexibility. Specifically, supercapacitors are limited by their conventional configuration, which is a separator sandwiched between two electrodes sealed in liquid electrolyte. The two major drawbacks with this configuration are that the liquid electrolyte requires safety encapsulation materials to prevent leakage, and the multiple parts of the system that move relative to each other decrease the performance and cycle life of the device.

In an attempt to design an energy-storage device that is smaller and more flexible than previous devices, the researchers turned to carbon-based materials. By using two slightly separated electrodes made of polyaniline (a conductive polymer) and carbon nanotubes, and solidifying them in a gel polymer solid-state electrolyte (acting simultaneously as a separator), the researchers could fabricate a highly flexible supercapacitor that was as thin as a standard piece of paper. The novel materials and no moving parts enabled the researchers to overcome the problems with the conventional configuration, and further decrease the size and increase the flexibility of the device.

“We innovatively designed the microstructure and optimized the configuration of our supercapacitors so as to effectively make full use of each necessary component,” coauthor Changhong Liu told PhysOrg.com. “We omitted the heavy metal current collectors and bulky encapsulation of conventional supercapacitors. Here, carbon nanotubes formed a good electric conducting network, polyaniline provided extremely large pseudocapacitance, and the ultra-thin middle gel polymer electrolyte layer acted simultaneously as a separator. Overall, the devices are very flexible and paper-like.”


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In tests, the researchers demonstrated that the new supercapacitor has a capacitance of 31.4 F/g when twisted, compared to 5.2 F/g for current commercial supercapacitors. The new supercapacitor also showed superior characteristics in other areas, such as a high power density, low leakage current, and long cycle life. The researchers predict that these properties could be further improved by optimizing the device's materials and structure, such as by shortening the distance between electrodes.

“To the best of our knowledge, this flexible paper-like supercapacitor has much higher specific capacitance than current high-level conventional commercial ones,” Liu said, adding that the researchers could not guarantee that they were aware of every commercial device.

The researchers also showed how three twisted supercapacitors connected in series could be used to light a red LED. After 15 minutes of charging at 2.5 V, the rolled-up supercapacitors lit the LED for almost 30 minutes. Given its high capacitance and flexibility that surpass current commercial supercapacitors, the new supercapacitor should be attractive for use in wearable electronics, an area which is still only beginning to be explored.

“We think that this lightweight and flexible energy storage device will have great application potential in future wearable electronics,” Liu said. “For example, incorporated with flexible display technology, it will make a flexible electronic book truly paper-like, by saving much weight and space. And in the future, when flexible large-scale integrated circuits come true, a lightweight and flexible notebook computer is much expected.”


More information: Chuizhou Meng, et al. “Highly Flexible and All-Solid-State Paperlike Polymer Supercapacitors.” Nano Lett. ASAP. DOI:10.1021/nl1019672


Copyright 2010 PhysOrg.com.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of PhysOrg.com.



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Dais Analytic Corporation Announces University of Florida Research Agreement

By: Marketwire .
Sep. 21, 2010 07:00 AMTAMPA, FL -- (Marketwire) -- 09/21/10 -- DAIS ANALYTIC CORPORATION (OTCBB: DLYT), a clean technology firm commercializing its nanotechnology inventions focusing on the applications of desalination, energy efficient HVAC equipment, and energy storage (ultracapacitor), announced today it has entered into a research agreement with prestigious University of Florida located in Gainesville, Fl. The agreement will power the path to energy's future focusing on Dais' NanoCap™ ultra capacitor moving it from successful materials testing to prototype.

The materials test results, conducted by GE's Global Research and Development Center, show Dais' materials and design exhibit great promise to yield a power storage device able to dramatically improve power delivery from consumer electronics to "smart grid" applications, to most forms of transportation.

"NanoCap's testing to date shows that our materials have the potential of being configured into an energy storage unit capable of replacing the internal combustion engine -- or perhaps better described, as being able to deliver the electronic equal to the energy density of gasoline," said Scott Ehrenberg, Chief Technology Officer of Dais. Further, Ehrenberg states, "The unit, which we believe can be built and marketed, has the ability to positively improve power delivery in a wide range of industries world-wide."

With the advent of an energy storage device such as NanoCap, designed to be scalable for small or large projects, electricity from intermittent electricity generators like solar panels and wind turbines could be stored for use at a later time. This form of flexible storage allows the steady and predictable release of renewable electricity into the nation's electric grid advancing the economics of renewable energy sources which offer strong environmental positives.

President of Dais, Tim Tangredi stated, "The partnership with the University of Florida's strong team, headed by Saeed Moghaddam, Ph.D., is designed to allow Dais to move its 'game changing' ultracapacitor application closer to market introduction."

About Dais Analytic Corporation

Dais Analytic Corporation (OTCBB: DLYT) is commercializing its nanotechnology materials and processes into break-through products becoming a leading participant in the applied nanotechnology industry with a specialized focus on the needs of the energy and water industries. Products incorporating Dais's nanotechnology (www.daisanalytic.com) minimize consumption of irreplaceable natural resources and stop degradation of our environment. To find out more about ConsERV (energy recovery for HVAC) please log onto www.conserv.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements made on behalf of the Dais Analytic Corporation (the "company") and its subsidiaries. All such forward-looking statements are, by necessity, only estimates of future results and actual results achieved by the company may differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. Statements made in this document that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements as to beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Risk factors that may cause results to differ from projections include, without limitation, loss of suppliers, loss of customers, inadequate capital, competition, loss of key executives, declining prices, and other economic factors. The company assumes no obligations to update these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such statements. You should independently investigate and fully understand all risks before making investment decisions.

For more information, please contact:

Public Relations:
Amy Maguire
Southern Strategies Group
Phone: 727-656-8413
Email: maguire@sostrategy.com

Investor Relations:
Todd Pitcher
Aspire Clean Tech Communications
760-798-4938
tpitcher@aspirecleantech.com


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The Fastest Way to Save the Planet: Bombardier Transportation at ...

press release
Sept. 20, 2010, 6:19 a.m. EDT

The Fastest Way to Save the Planet: Bombardier Transportation at InnoTrans 2010 in Berlin
The Leading Innovator in the Industry Presents New Solutions and Products Which Are More Energy Efficient, Environmentally and Passenger Friendly


BERLIN, GERMANY, Sep 20, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- "The fastest way to save the planet" is Bombardier Transportation's motto at InnoTrans 2010, to be held from September 21 to 24 in Berlin, Germany. The company will again this year present new products and technologies focused on energy efficiency and environmental performance. This includes, for example, the highly efficient BOMBARDIER ZEFIRO family of high speed trains and three new BOMBARDIER ECO4 solutions as well as many other innovations in the areas of propulsion, bogies, signalling technology, and intelligent maintenance solutions.

"The rail transport industry, like every other sector, has weathered some stormy times over the last couple of years. But as we come out of the economic crisis some major challenges still remain", said Andre Navarri, President and COO of Bombardier Transportation, in the run-up to the trade fair. "Populations are growing and with them the desire for maximum mobility. At the same time, we need to act to reduce the increasing congestion and pollution that results. At InnoTrans we will be showing how Bombardier products and technologies are the fastest way toward energy efficient sustainable mobility for our customers and their passengers."

In particular, the climate is right for trains such as the ZEFIRO family of very high speed trains, which combine sophisticated technology with superior efficiency and optimum comfort for passengers. At InnoTrans Bombardier will have an outdoor display of the first full scale model () of the front end carbody of the ZEFIRO 380 very high speed train with interactive 3D displays of the interior. At speeds of up to 380 km/h, the train will be not only one of the fastest trains in commercial use, but also one of the most environmentally friendly. This is made possible through innovative interior design and the application ECO4 technologies such as AeroEfficient Optimized Train Shaping to substantially reduce drag, save energy and ensure stability at high speeds.

Bombardier will also have some of its latest trains on display: the ALP-45 dual power locomotive, a first for North America, as well as TRAXX diesel and multi-system locomotives, an ITINO vehicle with C.L.E.A.N. diesel powered technology and a new MOVIA metro train.

In addition, there are new developments in Bombardier's innovative ECO4 portfolio based on the four cornerstones of energy, efficiency, economy and ecology. Three new solutions are being launched at InnoTrans 2010. First, EcoSilent optimised sound design, which uses acoustic design to ensure that rail is one of the quietest modes of travel. Second, BOMBARDIER EnerGstor wayside energy storage system. EnerGstor uses a high performance supercapacitor to capture and store otherwise unusable regenerated braking energy and recycle it back into the system when nearby trains require energy. Third, EcoEfficient Optimized Environmental Performance - a solution which analysizes the environmental footprint of products throughout their entire life cycle.

A total of 15 ECO4 products are now setting the industry standard for reduction in energy costs, and emissions, and environmental performance. There have been more than 120 successful applications of ECO4 technologies with customers worldwide since the launch of the portfolio at InnoTrans 2008.

As well as focusing on environmental performance, both design and passenger comfort are high on the agenda at Bombardier. The winning designs of the "YouRail - Visions of Modern Transportation" design competition have provided new approaches. Bombardier will present these designs at InnoTrans 2010 and award prizes to the winners. The innovative project started in November 2009 and is geared to young designers and those enthusiastic about design, who were able to use an interactive online platform to present and discuss their ideas for the interior design of trains. Bombardier is the first company in the rail industry to involve Internet users in the future design of trains through a project of this type.

And finally, if you want to jump aboard the Bombardier career train, then InnoTrans is the right place to be: the Bombardier Human Resources team will be available for information, presentations and discussions at Stand 140k in Hall 8.2. Bombardier is looking for talented people with a passion for trains.

More information can be found at www.innotrans.bombardier.com.

Visit Bombardier at InnoTrans Stand 201 Hall 2.2

Important vehicle and product presentations by Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation will be presenting 800 square metres of solutions, technologies and innovations at Stand 201 in Hall 2.2, with the help of interactive applications. In the FA/14 outdoor area you will be able to view six vehicles and the full scale model () of the ZEFIRO 380 very high speed train.

PRIMOVE - tram system with no overhead lines or contacts

The BOMBARDIER PRIMOVE system is an innovative contactless power transfer technology for tram and urban railways, which offers town planners new options for integrated transport systems thanks to the absence of catenary (overhead) lines. The technology is being trialled in a pilot project in Augsburg, Germany in collaboration with the Augsburg transport authority (Stadtwerke Augsburg Verkehrs GmbH). Among the advantages of the PRIMOVE contactless and catenary-free system are the inductive power transferred from between the tracks, the irrelevance of weather and ground conditions, as well as the ease of installation. In addition, the contactless and very safe energy transfer system reduces wear on parts, thereby limiting equipment life cycle costs. When combined with the new BOMBARDIER MITRAC Energy Saver technology, the PRIMOVE system can also reduce energy consumption significantly.

ALP-45 dual power locomotive with hybrid propulsion

Before it is even introduced in Canada and the USA, the BOMBARDIER ALP-45 dualpower locomotive is being shown at InnoTrans. This locomotive showcases the functionality and advantages of the MITRAC hybrid propulsion technology for dual power locomotives. This technology is particularly suitable for partially electrified tracks, which require high levels of reliability, cost effectiveness, flexibility and respect for the environment. For the first time in North America, it is possible to run locomotives which are fuelled both by diesel and by alternating current fed by overhead lines. Thanks to this flexible drive technology these locomotives can be used on the entire networks of the first purchasers, New Jersey Transit and the Agence metropolitaine de transport (Montreal).

TRAXX diesel-electric locomotives - for a new corridor in Poland

The newest BOMBARDIER TRAXX diesel-electric locomotives TRAXX F140 DE and the multisystem TRAXX F140 MS will be on display at InnoTrans 2010. Their highly modular design which allows them to adapt to different rail operators' requirements, make the TRAXX locomotives the most widely used locomotives in Europe. The product platform is based on the German BR 185 locomotive and includes the TRAXX F140 and the TRAXX P160. TRAXX locomotives have conventional automated train safety systems as well as the ETCS (European Train Control System). They deliver low running costs and offer the benefit of long-term availability of spare parts, and a service network which spans the whole of Europe. Bombardier recently signed a contract with LOTOS Kolej for the first sale of diesel-electric locomotives to Poland in 20 years. This vehicle, which will be on display at InnoTrans, is also approved for use in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, to help promote use of a new rail corridor.

ITINO multiple unit with C.L.E.A.N. diesel drive technology

A BOMBARDIER ITINO multiple unit with C.L.E.A.N. diesel power supply technology is also part of the vehicle portfolio being shown at InnoTrans. This particularly environmentally friendly, latest-generation local train has been in use since April 2010 in the passenger transport association Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) in Germany.

The C.L.E.A.N. diesel power pack is part of Bombardier's ECO4 portfolio and has the lowest emissions of any diesel locomotive in the 500 kW class. This solution was the result of a research project and was first presented in April 2008 after two years of development. The technology already meets, years ahead of time, the EU Emissions Directive (EU Directive 2004/26, level III-B). The C.L.E.A.N. diesel uses its catalyst system to reduce particles of soot and greenhouse gas emissions; in addition its weight and fuel consumption have been optimised. A less complex construction also means lower maintenance costs for the operator.

MOVIA trains for London Underground's sub-surface lines

The first of the latest BOMBARDIER MOVIA metro trains is already in service on the sub-surface lines in London - you can also take a look at it at InnoTrans. The new vehicles offer passengers air-conditioned carriages for the first time in the history of London Underground. Another novelty is the corridors between carriages. The vehicles also have the latest passenger information systems, surveillance cameras in every carriage and improved access options. A state-of-the-art train steering and management system supports preventative maintenance and so ensures greater reliability.

Historical freight locomotive BR E94

This year, Bombardier in Hennigsdorf is celebrating its 100th anniversary and a history marked by innovation and technology. To mark the occasion, a historic locomotive will take visitors to InnoTrans on a journey through time: The freight locomotive BR E94 was produced from 1938 by a consortium made up of AEG, Siemens and Henschel for the transport of heavy goods. Locomotives from this series were in use - in some cases retro-fitted with electric power - up until 1990.

The new OMNEO product platform - developed for more light and comfort

The latest vehicle from Bombardier - the OMNEO commuter double-deck train - was developed for the Regio2N project in France. This new generation of trains is characterised by a high level of comfort, accessibility and transparency. Single and double-deck carriages alternate along the electrical articulated multiple units with wide-bodied carriages while maintaining a consistent train height. This innovative architecture allows an open and flowing use of internal space. In specialised areas passengers can either find peace and quiet or company, as they choose. The OMNEO trains are equipped with MITRAC Permanent Magnet Motors which, in combination with efficient transmission allow an energy saving of six per cent. A model of this train can be seen at the indoor Bombardier stand.

FLEXX Eco bogies - a new concept

The BOMBARDIER FLEXX Eco bogie reduces track damage, noise emissions and maintenance costs. The design is based on a thoroughly new design for bogie construction with internal wheelset bearings - while maintaining the same level or better in safety and performance. This has created a lightweight but robust bogie construction which works efficiently and economically.

FLEXX Tronic WAKO system - shorter journey times

The BOMBARDIER FLEXX Tronic WAKO system is built into the secondary suspension of the bogie and compensates the natural roll movement of the cars. It allows an increase in speed of approximately 15 per cent in curves, thereby reducing journey times. Expensive investment in rail infrastructure is thus avoided. The FLEXX compact bogies for the BOMBARDIER TWINDEXX double-deck trains for the Swiss Federal Railways SBB introduce this technology for the first time.

INTERFLO 450 ERTMS Level 2 - high speed signalling technology in China

The line from Wuhan to Guangzhou in China is the longest and, at up to 350 km/h, the fastest line on which the Bombardier ERTMS Level 2 solution INTERFLO 450 is in use. Based on this example, Bombardier will demonstrate the benefits of INTERFLO 450 at InnoTrans: this is how technology enables higher speeds and heavier track usage, and so helps rail operators to manage the ever increasing number of passengers and to reduce journey times significantly.

ORBIFLO - the intelligent wayside solution

On display at the outdoor area, the BOMBARDIER ORBIFLO product range is an intelligent wayside solution. It meets the increasing need for exchange of real time information with travelling trains - because the operator is under intense pressure to deliver greater punctuality, lower costs, higher passenger comfort and increased safety. The ORBIFLO train-to-wayside suites enable real time exchange of information relating, among other things, to adherence to timetables, energy consumption and the condition of the train, so that operators can make more rapid and better informed decisions remotely.

Bombardier Transportation media activities at InnoTrans 2010 in Berlin

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Event: Award of the YouRail Design Competition with Andre Navarri, President and COO of Bombardier Transportation

Time: 5.00 pm

Venue: Bombardier indoor stand in hall 2.2, stand number 201

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Event: Bombardier Transportation press conference with Andre Navarri

Time: 10.00 am

Venue: Press centre, hall 6.3, room C

Event: Presentation of the new DT5 for the Hamburger Hochbahn

Time: 12.30 pm

Venue: At the outdoor exhibition, track 4/6 - in front of hall 1

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Event: Presentation of the Bombardier book on the TRAXX series

Time: 10.30 am

Venue: International Club Berlin, Thueringer Allee 5-9, 14052 Berlin

(Shuttle bus from Bombardier outdoor stand at 10.00 am)

BOMBARDIER, ZEFIRO, ECO4, ALP, TRAXX, ITINO, MOVIA, EnerGstor, PRIMOVE, MITRAC, FLEXX, OMNEO, WAKO, TWINDEXX, INTERFLO and ORBIFLO are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

About Bombardier Transportation

Bombardier Transportation, a global leader in rail technology, offers the broadest portfolio in the rail industry and delivers innovative products and services that set new standards in sustainable mobility. BOMBARDIER ECO4 technologies - built on the four cornerstones of energy, efficiency, economy and ecology - conserve energy, protect the environment and help to improve total train performance. Bombardier Transportation is headquartered in Berlin, Germany and has a presence in over 60 countries. It has an installed base of over 100,000 vehicles worldwide.

About Bombardier

A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2010, were $19.4 billion US, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at www.bombardier.com

www.theclimateisrightfortrains.com

www.innotrans.bombardier.com


Contacts:
North America: +1 450 441 3007
Canada: Marc-Andre Lefebvre
marc-andre.lefebvre@ca.transport.bombardier.com
USA: Maryanne Roberts
maryanne.roberts@us.transport.bombardier.com

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Central
and Eastern Europe: +49 30 98607 1134
Heiner Spannuth, heiner.spannuth@de.transport.bombardier.com

Nordic Countries: +46 10 852 5062
Jonny Hedberg, jonny.hedberg@se.transport.bombardier.com

Russia: +7 495 775 1830
Alexander Bocharov
alexander.bocharov@ru.transport.bombardier.com

UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, other countries:
+44 1332 266470
Neil Harvey, neil.harvey@uk.transport.bombardier.com

Benelux: +49 30 98607 1141
Janet Olthof, janet.olthof@de.transport.bombardier.com

France: +33 6 07 78 95 38
Anne Froger, anne.froger@fr.transport.bombardier.com

South Europe, Brazil and India:
+35 1 919 693 728
Luis Ramos, luis.ramos@pt.transport.bombardier.com






SOURCE: Bombardier Transportation

mailto:marc-andre.lefebvre@ca.transport.bombardier.com
mailto:maryanne.roberts@us.transport.bombardier.com
mailto:heiner.spannuth@de.transport.bombardier.com
mailto:jonny.hedberg@se.transport.bombardier.com
mailto:alexander.bocharov@ru.transport.bombardier.com
mailto:neil.harvey@uk.transport.bombardier.com
mailto:janet.olthof@de.transport.bombardier.com
mailto:anne.froger@fr.transport.bombardier.com
mailto:luis.ramos@pt.transport.bombardier.com

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Nano4Energy - clean, next generation energy solutions

Abstract:
On 30th June , the NanoKTN hosted its second Nano4Energy conference in association with the Carbon Trust. The conference, which took placed at the University of Birmingham, looked at new developments in nanotechnology within energy generation and energy storage. The event featured presentations from leading industry professionals and case study discussions on technologies nearing commercialisation, from the companies leading the way in the movement of clean, next generation energy solutions.

September 20th, 2010

Nano4Energy - clean, next generation energy solutions
Last year saw worldwide investments into clean energy rise by 4.4% and in 2008 inward investment exceeded US$150billion for the first time. It is clear that next generation energy will have a huge impact across a number of markets and nanotechnology holds the promise to provide a significant number of advances in clean and renewable energy.

A diverse selection of presentations from UK businesses, showed the exciting potential of nanotechnology to develop new and ground-breaking devices. These presentations looked at the recent developments of new technologies and their contribution to advancing green energy solutions.


Dr Andrew Creeth, Chief Technology Officer, ACAL Energy Ltd
FlowCath Technology - The Fuel Cell Engine for the 21st Century

Backed by venture funding led by the Carbon Trust, ACAL Energy Ltd is a leading developer of low cost Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, powered by the company's proprietary platinum free cathode technology (FlowCath®).

ACAL Energy is currently developing fuel cell modules, fuel cell engines and advances in the chemistry behind the catalyst system for a range of applications requiring greater than 1 kW of power, including back-up and remote power - replacing diesel gen-sets and battery technology - and ultimately automotive applications. The substantial cost savings and performance improvements have already showed promise of accelerating the adoption of PEM Fuel Cell technology.

Fuel Cells are an electrochemical system that converts chemical energy to electrical power directly. The technology has already been labelled as the likely leading energy source of the 21st century in a range of applications such as transport, stationary power and even laptop computers.

By creating a system that challenges the oxygen electrode (cathode), ACAL Energy has created a system that has demonstrated the potential to provide substantial cost savings, system simplification and durability advantages for PEM fuel cells. By the use of a liquid-based cathode, the need for precious metal catalysts on the cathode is removed, a simpler balance of plant is required (eg innate cooling system by the liquid), and the major durability issues for the standard system are avoided all together.

ACAL Energy's presentation looked at the company's technology that has been scaled up to the 1-2 kW scale, with the assembly of prototype systems. Dr Creeth confirmed that the next stage is to develop evaluation units for sale for potential customers and also to place units in application sites such as the peroxide plant at Solvay in Warrington.

Further information about ACAL Energy's solutions can be found at www.acalenergy.co.uk



Bill Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Nanotecture
Nanoporous Materials - a Major Advance in Supercapacitors

Nanotecture Ltd, a spin-out from the University of Southampton, uses a liquid crystal templating technique to manufacture nanoporous materials for battery electrodes and supercapacitors. The company specialises in electrochemistry and nanotechnology support applications for the efficient storage and delivery of electrical energy - an issue of crucial importance to many industries, particularly those engaged in renewable power generation, automotive, transportation and emergency power back-up.

Nanotecture specialises in the development and production of nanoporous materials and the development of highly efficient electrical storage devices based on those materials. The company's proprietary material production process enables the precise engineering of nano-scale architectures within materials. These nanoporous materials are characterised by very high surface areas, typically hundreds of times the area of the equivalent non-porous materials. Electrodes and electrical storage devices constructed of nanoporous material respond at high speed and deliver very high power density.

Depositing materials on the template produces pores of diameter ~3nm with a wall thickness of ~5nm. This structure can increase ionic mobility such as Lithium ion in Li-ion batteries. Controlling the pore diameter and wall thickness, through changing the liquid crystal surfactant, can optimise energy density. A 1.5V micro battery 0.3mm thick has already been developed and the technology has been shown to enable new, high power applications such as camera flashes on mobile phones.

Using its expertise in electrochemistry, Nanotecture has developed a novel asymmetric cell architecture based on one nanoporous battery and one capacitor electrode. This unique, patented supercapacitor design provides the dual advantage of higher power density and higher energy density, compared to conventional designs.

The presentation delivered by the company's CEOs looked at the organisation's core nanoporous technology and its application and performance within supercapacitors, as well as business development considerations and key market opportunities.

For more information about Nanotecture Ltd, please visit www.nantecture.co.uk



Professor Bob Slade, Professor of Inorganic and Materials Chemicals Energy, Materials and Nanochemistry, University of Surrey
Nanostructured Materials for Supercapacitors: Exploiting Pseudocapcitance to Increase both Energy Density & Power Density

Supercapacitors offer energy storage at high power and when used as part of a hybrid device, offer smaller batteries with extended lifetimes. They are simple, electrochemical devices based on two electrodes with a porous separator and an electrolyte solution.

When using supercapacitors, energy can be stored in two ways: electrochemical double layer capacitance (dominant for high surface area carbons as electrodes) and faradaic pseudocapacitance (in which ions enter the surface of the electrode, this being present in most metal oxide electrodes). For an oxide system the specific capacitance (goxide -1) of a device can be similar to that for an exclusively carbon-electrodes-based system but the true density of the particles is much higher than that of carbon, which results in a much higher volumetric capacitance.

Nanostructuring has two principal effects: (1) the specific surface area of the electrode film increases (greater double layer capacitance) and (2) the diffusion length for intercalated ions shortens, leading to a higher charge/discharge rate (higher power). As pseudocapacitance is associated with volumes near particle surfaces, nanostructuring can also lead to greater volumetric energy storage (higher capacitance). For oxide electrodes, most work to date has concerned aqueous electrolytes and consequently a charged voltage < 1.4 V. Metal oxides under investigation have included MnO2, nickel oxides, cobalt oxides, molybdenum oxides and vanadium oxides; Of the most promising is MnO2 (low cost, high abundance, low toxicity), with in-device capacitances over 450 F g-1. At the University of Surrey, Birnessite MnO2 nanotubes have been made and cast into self - supporting electrode films. Supercapacitor cells were assembled in hybrid arrangement with birnessite cathodes and carbon composite film anodes, with a glass fibre separator. Galvanostatic cycling at various discharge current densities, 0 and 1.4 V, showed the classical "sawtooth" profile with excellent cycleability specific capacitance up to 350 F g-1 (with (NH4)2SO4 (aq. 2 mol dm-3) electrolyte; energy density < 100 W h and power density < 77,000 W h kg-1). For more information about the University of Surrey, please visit www.surrey.ac.uk Graeme Purdy, Chief Executive Officer, Ilika Rapid Development of Breakthrough Energy Storage Materials Ilika is an advanced materials company which accelerates the discovery of new and patentable materials, using its unique high throughput technologies (HTT) process for identified end uses in the energy, electronics and biomedical sectors. This process enables hundreds of scalable materials to be made in a single, automated operation and subsequently tested for key properties. Traditionally, materials development has been a slow and demanding task, with manual, sequential methods used to make samples of material that are then tested for suitability. On average, it takes between 7 and 10 years to move from an initial discovery through to the first commercial prototype. However, experiments carried out by Ilika have shown the processes can be executed 10 to 100 times faster. Purdy's presentation focused on the projects Ilika is undertaking to develop new materials for the storage of energy, with particular regard to hydrogen storage and high energy density lithium-ion batteries. The main techno-economic barrier to the use of hydrogen as a fuel is its safe and effective storage. Most of the prototype vehicles designed to use hydrogen store the gas in its compressed form at pressures up to 700 bar. This is not only inefficient but it also poses safety hazards through the supply chain. As part of a TSB supported project, Ilika is working with the University of Oxford, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) and Johnson Matthey plc to develop new materials such as solid metal hydrides to store hydrogen at lower pressures. The presentation covered some of the techniques used in this project and the desired outcomes. The increased demand for hybrid and electric vehicles has created the need for batteries with an improved power and energy density. In the next few years, this need is widely expected to be met through lithium-ion batteries. As a rapidly developing technology, there is a broad spectrum of lithium-ion cell chemistries which are being assessed in order to yield the desired improved battery performance. The presentation looked at the high throughput techniques Ilika is using in order to rapidly assess the performance of these different chemistries. For further information about Ilika, please visit www.ilika.com Peter Ball, Strategic Research Director, BRE Can the Construction Sector Create Market Pull for the Nanotechnology Industry? Buildings are responsible for nearly 50 per cent of today's CO2 emissions and yet despite new construction and refurbishment of millions of external facades, roofed areas and high rise buildings every year, very few opportunities have been made to use these constructions as a source of energy generation and storage. Property owners are now being incentivised or targeted to produce their own energy, through instruments like the feed-in tariffs to help reach government targets for reduced CO2 emissions and reduced energy usage (the Carbon Reduction Commitment and energy targets). Peter Ball's presentation looked at some of the potential new products and ideas being delivered by nanotechnology, such as, turning large areas into energy generators and examining the challenges faced by getting the scientists talking sensibly to the builders. Construction is a naturally creative sector but the definition of innovation in construction is different to other sectors with regard to R&D and new product development. Most sectors measure R&D in terms of months and years whereas the construction industry thinks in terms of days and months. Yet the construction sector is worth nearly 10% of the UK's GDP so it is crucial that we explore ways and means of making mid- to long-term R&D attractive to construction sector. BRE believe it is vital that we develop an iterative R&D strategy which allows the energy savings and generating technologies to be incorporated into a building earlier and as part of the building design. For more information about BRE, visit www.bre.co.uk Nigel Pickett, Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Nanoco Technologies Ltd Quantum Dots and Solar Cells Nanoco Technologies assist major R&D and blue-chip industrial organisations in the development of applications incorporating semiconductor nanoparticles, known as quantum dots. The bulk manufacture of quantum dots provides partners with the platform to develop a wide variety of next-generation products, particularly in the fields of electroluminescent displays, LED lighting and solar cells. Quantum dots, as with other photovoltaic technology, offer potential for low cost solar panels. Nanoco Technologies Ltd, a spin-out from the University of Manchester, has developed a method for the volume manufacturing of quantum dots. These 4-5 nm nanoparticles of Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS), and Copper Indium Diselenide (CIS), absorb light up to 800nm in wavelength and are soluble across a range of solvents. These features provide the possibility for application by printing using inkjet or roll-to-roll techniques. After an annealing treatment, the layer can be converted into crystalline thin films suitable for solar cells. Research on quantum dots has indicated that an efficiency of 19% is possible. As the demand for cleaner energy increases, it is imperative that new forms of low cost solar energy are found. To meet that demand and to address the high energy and high cost of vapour deposition, which is currently used in the production of solar cells, Nanoco has utilized its expertise in the synthesis of nanocrystals or quantum dots to develop a range of novel copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIS, CGS and CIGS) containing quantum dots of varying composition that can be used to manufacture low cost solar cells with good efficiencies. The presentation addressed Nanoco's advanced quantum dots capable of forming printable inks in a variety of solvents, paving the way for low cost, roll to roll production of new solar cell technologies. For more information about Nanoco Technologies Ltd, please visit www.nanocotechnologies.com The Nano4Energy event covered a huge variety of different areas and enabled many industry professionals and academic institutions to network, creating links in the supply chain and generating new discussions surrounding nanotechnology for greener energy. By bringing together people at events like these, the NanoKTN aims to find solutions to issues faced by the market, in order to forge a competitive industry in the UK. By uniting those who work within this developing industry, the NanoKTN wants to develop programmes to advance R&D and identify gaps in the UK supply chain. The Nano4Energy focus group covers four areas: Built Environment; Mobile Power; Supply Chain; and Communication. These working groups will define activities to be addressed in these areas, in order to facilitate technology transfer and supply chain development. This article gives only a snapshot of the developments in nanotechnology for energy and only a summary of the issues discussed at Nano4Energy 2010. To stay up-to-date with group developments and events in this area and to read presentations in full, please visit www.nanoktn.com or email enquiries to martin.kemp@nanoktn.com
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【応物学会】早稲田大学ら，CNTトランジスタを電気2重層キャパシタに？

2010/09/16 04:36野澤 哲生＝日経エレクトロニクス 　早稲田大学は，インクジェット技術を全工程に用いて単層カーボン・ナノチューブ（SWCNT）をアクティブ層に用いたTFTを作製した。2010年9月14日に長崎大学で開催した第71回応用物理学会学術講演会で発表した（講演番号14a-B-4）。学術雑誌に論文も発表済みである。

　このSWCNT-TFTを開発したのは， 早稲田大学 理工学術院 先進理工学部/研究科 准教授の竹延大志氏，および山形大学 助教の沖本治哉氏ら。具体的には，SWCNTを，溶媒のN,N-ジメチルホルムアミド（DMT）などに溶き，インクジェット技術を用いて滴下して基板上に作製した。基板には，Si基板のほか，透明なフレキシブル基板も用いたという。Si基板を用いた試作では，キャリア移動度2cm2/Vs，オン電流とオフ電流の比が105が得られた（関連記事）。

　ただし，これらの値自体は，NECなどによるインクジェット技術でのCNTトランジスタの作製例と大差ない（関連記事1，関連記事2）。

　今回の特徴は，（1）TFTの半導体層だけでなく，電極の作製にも同じSWCNTのインクを用いた点，（2）イオン液体をゲート絶縁膜に用いて，従来課題だった特性のヒステリシス性を大きく低減し，同時にソース電圧とドレイン電圧間の電圧（VSD）も－1Vと従来の1/50～1/100に低減した点，の二つである。

　TFTの電極材料には一般には金属が使われる。一方，SWCNTには，特殊な作り分けをしない限り，半導体の特性を示すものと金属の特性を示すものが混合している。今回，竹延氏らはインクジェットによる滴下の回数によって，二つの特性を作り分けた。滴下回数が増えてSWCNTの濃度が高くなると，材料中の金属の特性を持つSWCNTが互いにつながって全体として金属となり，薄いとすべてはつながらないので半導体になる。半導体であることがほぼ確実なのは，滴下回数が2回までの場合だったという。

　イオン液体をゲート絶縁膜に用いたことでヒステリシス性やVSDが低減したのは，TFTが電極と「溶媒」から成る微小な電気2重層キャパシタのように機能して，キャリアの動く自由度が増えたり，VSDと補完的に働く「静電容量」が大幅に増加したりしたためだという。

　ただし，イオン液体は一般には揮発しにくく，素子から流れ出す課題があった。竹延氏は，最近は乾燥するとゲルになる材料を利用し，良好な結果を得ているという。

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