Nanotubes provide power boost.

• Position: Electricity - Brief Article

Supercapacitors that can deliver a strong surge of electrical power could be manufactured from carbon nanotubes using a technique developed by researchers at the University of California, Davis. Supercapacitors are electrical storage devices that can deliver a huge amount of energy in a short time. Hybrid-electric and fuel-cell powered vehicles require such a surge of energy to start, more than can be provided by regular batteries. Supercapacitors also are needed in a wide range of electronic and engineering applications.

Ning Pan, professor of textiles in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, postdoctoral researcher Chunsheng Du, and Jeff Yeh of Mytitek Inc. prepared suspensions of carbon nanotubes--tiny rolled-up cylinders of...