Supercapacitor structure

A supercapacitor structure comprising in contiguity a positive electrode member, a negative electrode member, and a separator member disposed therebetween, wherein

• a) said positive electrode member comprises a flexible polymeric matrix membrane having an activated carbon powder uniformly distributed therein and an electrically conductive current collector element bonded to said membrane,
• b) said negative electrode member comprises a flexible polymeric matrix membrane having an activated carbon powder uniformly distributed therein and an electrically conductive current collector element bonded to said membrane,
• c) said separator member comprises a flexible, polymeric matrix membrane, and
• d) said positive electrode member and said negative electrode member are bonded to opposite interface surfaces of said separator member to form a unitary flexible laminate structure.

A supercapacitor structure formed as a unitary flexible laminate structure comprising:

• a) a first electrode member of first polarity, comprising a flexible polymeric matrix membrane having an activated carbon powder uniformly distributed therein and an electrically conductive current collector element;
• b) a first separator member, comprising a flexible, polymeric matrix membrane, said first separator member bonded to said first electrode member;
• c) a bipolar electrode member, comprising a first electrode layer of second polarity opposite said first polarity, comprising a flexible polymeric matrix membrane having an activated carbon powder uniformly distributed therein, a bimetallic collector element having a first metal layer appropriate for said first polarity and a second metal layer appropriate for said second polarity, said second metal layer of said bimetallic collector element bonded to said first electrode layer, and
• a second electrode layer of said first polarity, comprising a flexible polymeric matrix membrane having an activated carbon powder uniformly distributed therein, said second electrode layer bonded to said first metal layer of said bimetallic collector element, said bipolar electrode member bonded to said first separator member opposite said first electrode member such that said first electrode layer is in contact with said first separator member;
• d) a second separator member, comprising a flexible, polymeric matrix membrane, said second separator member bonded to said bipolar electrode member opposite said first separator member such that said second electrode layer is in contact with said second separator member;
• e) a third electrode member of said second polarity, comprising a flexible polymeric matrix membrane having an activated carbon powder uniformly distributed therein and an electrically conductive current collector element bonded to said membrane, said third electrode member bonded to said second separator member opposite said bipolar electrode member.

A hybrid supercapacitor and battery structure formed as a unitary flexible laminate structure comprising:

• a) a supercapacitor electrode member of first polarity, comprising a flexible polymeric matrix membrane having an activated carbon powder uniformly distributed therein and an electrically conductive current collector element;
• b) a supercapacitor separator member, comprising a flexible, polymeric matrix membrane, said supercapacitor separator member being bonded to said supercapacitor electrode member;
• c) a supercapacitor electrode layer of second polarity opposite said first polarity, comprising a flexible polymeric matrix membrane having an activated carbon powder uniformly distributed therein, said supercapacitor electrode layer being bonded to said supercapacitor separator member;
• d) a common, electrically conductive current collector element of second polarity opposite said first polarity, said common collector element being bonded to said supercapacitor electrode layer;
• e) a battery electrode layer of said second polarity, said battery electrode layer being bonded to said common collector element opposite said supercapacitor electrode layer;
• f) a battery separator member bonded to said battery electrode layer opposite said common collector element;
• and
• g) a battery electrode member of said first polarity having an electrically conductive current collector element, said battery electrode member being bonded to said battery separator member.