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michka:research:supercapacitors [2014-07-01 14:27] michkamichka:research:supercapacitors [2014-07-02 12:14] (current) michka
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 ====Home-Made Supercapacitors from Dead PC Batteries==== ====Home-Made Supercapacitors from Dead PC Batteries====
 +===By Paul Granjon & MIchka Mélo===
 +
 +{{ :michka:research:dsc03926.jpg?400 |}}
  
 This page reports the wonderful citizen science R&D workshop we had at FoAM with my dear friend [[http://www.zprod.org|Paul Granjon]], a world-reknown artist specialized in human-machine co-evolution and [[http://vimeo.com/30187028|participatory upcycling workshops]]. This page reports the wonderful citizen science R&D workshop we had at FoAM with my dear friend [[http://www.zprod.org|Paul Granjon]], a world-reknown artist specialized in human-machine co-evolution and [[http://vimeo.com/30187028|participatory upcycling workshops]].
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 We ended the workshop having no functional supercapacitor, but  we still obtained some interesting results. We ended the workshop having no functional supercapacitor, but  we still obtained some interesting results.
  
-===Best design===+====Best design===
 + 
 +{{ :michka:research:img_5631.jpg?300 |}}
  
 Our best design was very simple. It was a sandwich design, which means that it was just a stack of dry material layers we taped all together. It contained three layers: Our best design was very simple. It was a sandwich design, which means that it was just a stack of dry material layers we taped all together. It contained three layers:
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 These characteristics are not outstanding, but still interesting for a 100 % upcycled design. These characteristics are not outstanding, but still interesting for a 100 % upcycled design.
  
-===How to build the best design ?===+====How to build the best design ?====
  
-==Step 1 - Find at least one dead computer battery==+===Step 1 - Find at least one dead computer battery==
 + 
 +{{ :michka:research:img_5584.jpg?300 |}}
  
 We ended up opening three of them: We ended up opening three of them:
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    * One Toshiba battery    * One Toshiba battery
    * Another Toshiba battery, made of Panasonic round batteries    * Another Toshiba battery, made of Panasonic round batteries
 +
 +{{ :michka:research:dsc03893.jpg?300 |}}
  
 To open them, use a hacksaw and/or a cutter, and make sure that you are not damaging the internal material. All three designs where made of more or less round rolls of: To open them, use a hacksaw and/or a cutter, and make sure that you are not damaging the internal material. All three designs where made of more or less round rolls of:
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    * A copper layer    * A copper layer
    * Intercalated layers of graphene between each couple of these three.    * Intercalated layers of graphene between each couple of these three.
 +
 +{{ :michka:research:dsc03896.jpg?300 |}}
  
 The Toshiba-non-Panasonic battery ended up being the easiest to manipulate. Graphene was easy to clean up from copper & insulating layers, whereas the Apple battery graphene was a nightmare to remove. Robert Murray Smith advises to let it dry for as long as possible before trying to remove it. Ease of manipulation varies with battery design & the kind of damage it overcame, which explains why you may want to start with several dead batteries to go through the process with the easiest to manipulate. The Toshiba-non-Panasonic battery ended up being the easiest to manipulate. Graphene was easy to clean up from copper & insulating layers, whereas the Apple battery graphene was a nightmare to remove. Robert Murray Smith advises to let it dry for as long as possible before trying to remove it. Ease of manipulation varies with battery design & the kind of damage it overcame, which explains why you may want to start with several dead batteries to go through the process with the easiest to manipulate.
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 This step of the process is, in my opinion, the most hazardous. If the battery is still a little bit charged, you will end up with heat and sparks. Gloves could be useful. Even when it is not, you will have a strange smell coming out: this is the electrolyte evaporating. As we do not really know what the electrolyte is made of, it may be smart to wear a mask. This step of the process is, in my opinion, the most hazardous. If the battery is still a little bit charged, you will end up with heat and sparks. Gloves could be useful. Even when it is not, you will have a strange smell coming out: this is the electrolyte evaporating. As we do not really know what the electrolyte is made of, it may be smart to wear a mask.
  
-==Step 2 - Clean up the graphene from the copper layers & some insulating layers==+===Step 2 - Clean up the graphene from the copper layers & some insulating layers==
 + 
 +{{ :michka:research:img_5545.jpg?300 |}}
  
 Scrap with your nails or whatever soft tools which will not make holes in the plastic or copper layer. Scrap with your nails or whatever soft tools which will not make holes in the plastic or copper layer.
  
-==Step 3 - Assemble the layers==+===Step 3 - Assemble the layers===
  
    * Put the layer of insulating material coated with graphene at the bottom, with the graphene-coated side facing you.    * Put the layer of insulating material coated with graphene at the bottom, with the graphene-coated side facing you.
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    * Tape a layer of cleaned-up copper on top of the second one, making sure to avoid any copper to graphene contact.    * Tape a layer of cleaned-up copper on top of the second one, making sure to avoid any copper to graphene contact.
  
-==Step 4 - Measure the initial voltage==+===Step 4 - Measure the initial voltage===
  
 Measure the voltage between the copper layer and the graphene layer. There was an initial voltage every time we assembled such a sandwich. This step allows you to see what the polarity of the design is and charge it adequately. Our negative pole was the graphene layer. Measure the voltage between the copper layer and the graphene layer. There was an initial voltage every time we assembled such a sandwich. This step allows you to see what the polarity of the design is and charge it adequately. Our negative pole was the graphene layer.
  
-==Step 5 - Charge it==+===Step 5 - Charge it===
  
 Put the + of the power source on your + pole, and - on -. Check the current flow on your power source screen. We used small voltage to charge, from 1 V to 5 V. Start small. Put the + of the power source on your + pole, and - on -. Check the current flow on your power source screen. We used small voltage to charge, from 1 V to 5 V. Start small.
  
-==Step 6 - Measure the charge==+===Step 6 - Measure the charge===
  
 Once the current is back to 0 A and stable, measure the voltage between the copper layer and the graphene layer. Once the current is back to 0 A and stable, measure the voltage between the copper layer and the graphene layer.
  
-==Step 7 - Test it==+===Step 7 - Test it===
  
 You can tape several of these and connect them in series by soldering contacts from one to another. For graphene contacts, we used a small bit of copper that we taped and tried to maintain with pressure against graphene. You can tape several of these and connect them in series by soldering contacts from one to another. For graphene contacts, we used a small bit of copper that we taped and tried to maintain with pressure against graphene.
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 Once you reach a sufficiently interesting voltage, try to connect a LED and see what happens. Once you reach a sufficiently interesting voltage, try to connect a LED and see what happens.
  
-===Other dried designs===+====Other dry designs====
  
-Except for our sandwich designs, we also had some sushi designs - which are nothing else than wrapped sandwiches. We also made some waffle designs, which are square sushis - not cylindrical.+{{ :michka:research:dsc03898.jpg?300 |}} 
 + 
 +Except for our sandwich designs, we also had some sushi designs - which are nothing else than wrapped sandwiches. 
 + 
 +{{ :michka:research:img_5637.jpg?300 |}} 
 + 
 +We also made some waffle designs, which are square sushis - not cylindrical. 
 + 
 +{{ :michka:research:img_5677.jpg?300 |}}
  
 We tried alsmost every possible combination out of the available materials from our dead batteries. Here are a few examples: We tried alsmost every possible combination out of the available materials from our dead batteries. Here are a few examples:
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 We however encourage you to try anything, as it seems that every battery type is different, and even avery battery, as the damage they overcome makes each of them quite singular in behavior. We however encourage you to try anything, as it seems that every battery type is different, and even avery battery, as the damage they overcome makes each of them quite singular in behavior.
  
-===Wet Designs===+====Wet Designs====
  
 We also tried some wet designs, which means designs with a liquid electrolyte. We also tried some wet designs, which means designs with a liquid electrolyte.
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 We used two different designs to apply the electrolyte: We used two different designs to apply the electrolyte:
    * Dipping a whole sushi in the electrolyte    * Dipping a whole sushi in the electrolyte
-   * Intercalating a sandwich layer made of printer paper dipped into the electrolyte between copper & graphene, thus replacing the insulating layer from the the dead battery+   * Intercalating a sandwich layer made of printer paper dipped into the electrolyte between copper & graphene, thus replacing the insulating layer from the the dead battery - we were inspired by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWHpc53759c|neatpete45]]
  
 Our wet designs were no success. Our wet designs were no success.
 +
 +{{ :michka:research:dsc03904.jpg?300 |}}
  
 A sushi dipped in sulfuric acid was severly attacked. Current kept on flowing, it was bubbling slightly, the solution started to become dark. It did hold voltage and quite a good charge, but after opening it up, we saw huge corrosion spots on the copper layer. A sushi dipped in sulfuric acid was severly attacked. Current kept on flowing, it was bubbling slightly, the solution started to become dark. It did hold voltage and quite a good charge, but after opening it up, we saw huge corrosion spots on the copper layer.
- 
-Sushi dipped in salted water and demineralized water showed a strange charging behavior: current was slightly increasing, before being stable around 100 mA. They ended up not charging, or having a low and evanescent charge. 
  
 Our sandwich with salted-water-wet paper had a similar charging behavior, and copper also ended up corroded. Our sandwich with salted-water-wet paper had a similar charging behavior, and copper also ended up corroded.
 +
 +{{ :michka:research:img_5632.jpg?300 |}}
  
 Our sandwich with demineraliued-water-wet paper had a similar charging behavior, and a low and evanescent charge. Our sandwich with demineraliued-water-wet paper had a similar charging behavior, and a low and evanescent charge.
  
-=== Conclusion & Future Research===+====Things not to do==== 
 + 
 +**Do not try to absorb sulfuric acid with paper ! It produces a frightening hot bubbly black liquid !** 
 + 
 +====Audio Lab Book==== 
 + 
 +A 22 minutes slideshow made of 60 photos & audio commentary containing more information is under export. I will post it on Youtube and here ASAP. 
 + 
 +====Conclusion & Future Research====
  
 Our best dry sandwich design seems interesting. However, we are not sure wether this behavior is a consequence of some remanent electrolyte from the dead battery still present in the graphene layer. Moreover, it proved to be unstable to design change: sushis & waffles could not hold the charge as well, and the voltage stored was highly sensitive to finger pressure. Our best dry sandwich design seems interesting. However, we are not sure wether this behavior is a consequence of some remanent electrolyte from the dead battery still present in the graphene layer. Moreover, it proved to be unstable to design change: sushis & waffles could not hold the charge as well, and the voltage stored was highly sensitive to finger pressure.
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