This paper presents the work carried out within a European Union ͑EU͒ project which led to the development of 3 V and 1.5 kF preseries supercapacitor modules and 2 kW stacks based on hybrid cells with poly͑3-methylthiophene͒ as positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode with propylene carbonate-tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate electrolyte. These prototypes, which display a concept of hybrid cell operating with a high-surface-area activated carbon and a conventional electronically conducting polymer, both commercially available, and with a nontoxic and nonvolatile electrolyte, provide a successful response to the market demand for high power and energy supercapacitors operating with an environmentally friendly electrolyte.

A new concept of hybrid supercapacitors has been designed with a conductive polymer as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode. The chosen polymer was poly(4-fluorophenyl-3-thiophene) or P-4-FPT, whose good doping properties are well known. Several activated carbons were tested, and the results reported here were obtained with carbons from Spectracorp (BP25 and YP17). The mass ratio of active materials was calculated to obtain the maximum cell voltage (3 V). The system studied in our laboratory was 4 cm2 test cells which reached 48 Wh/kg of maximum energy associated with 9 kW/kg of maximum power (considering the mass of the active materials). Industrial prismatic prototypes were then assembled, containing 60 cm2 electrodes. These prototypes reached a maximum energy of 7.5 Wh/kg (total mass), and a maximum power of 250 W/kg. © 2001 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.

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