Researchers at the India-based Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) are developing an economical graphene-based supercapacitor that can present an effective alternative to providing energy to various applications, including state-of-the-art military equipment, mobile devices and modern vehicles.
Graphene has been used in the newly developed ultra-capacitors to replace the expensive activated carbon, and the switch seems to have also reduced the supercapacitors' weight and cost by ten times.
CMERI scientist Dr. Naresh Chandra Murmu stated that scientists have developed a technique for producing graphene oxide. The production cost of one kilogram of graphene oxide using this technique comes to around ten thousand rupees, which is much lesser than the cost of activated carbon used in supercapacitors. We have modified the surface of graphene oxide in our research, due to which it has also succeeded in reducing its weight. We have now reached the advanced stage of making ultra-capacitors by using this graphene oxide, which can be useful in various sectors.
Former Senior Defense Development Research Organization (DRDO) official M.H. Rahman said that such devices not only cater to civilian applications, but can be applicable in strategic and defense applications as well.