Research Status and Application of Supercapacitors

Research and development of new green and sustainable energy storage technologies is urgent due to the severity of the energy crisis and environmental pollution, as well as the need for sustainable development. Supercapacitors are a new type of energy storage device that has a higher power density and a longer service life than other energy storage devices. Thanks to its superior characteristics with extended use and quick rate of charge and discharge, it has attracted widespread attention from researchers. This paper reviews the structure, classification, and working principle of supercapacitors. Besides, utilizing electrode materials is summarized in this article, such as materials with a carbon basis and conductive polymers in supercapacitors, and expounds the application status of supercapacitors in industries, power, transportation, and daily life. In addition, this paper also analyzes the shortcomings and challenges faced by current supercapacitors, and finally summarizes the new potential application fields (such as hydrogel electrolyte and flexible capacitor) and research directions of supercapacitors.