KEMET introduces the first 105 ° C vehicle gauge supercapacitor

     YAGEO Group's KEMET has announced the launch of its new FMU series of high-performance supercapacitors for automotive electronics, with an operating temperature range from -40 ° C to 105 ° C and an industry-leading position in the market for 1,000 hours at rated voltage at 85 ° C /85%RH. These supercapacitors meet automotive test requirements and are manufactured in an ISO TS 16949 certified plant with PPAP/PSW and change control support. They are ideal for automotive applications that require mains power system support during power outages, such as ADAS, autonomous vehicles, and central gateway ECUs.

     Supercapacitors are ideal for keeping a real-time clock or volatile memory when the main power system is removed, such as during a power failure or when the main power system battery is removed for replacement. In addition, these supercapacitors can provide power backup support for applications such as iot devices, smart meters, medical devices and industrial computing.

     Using supercapacitors in automotive electronics frees them from the design limitations imposed by battery life. The benign open-circuit fault mode of supercapacitors has great advantages over typical battery short-circuit failures that can lead to venting or ignition. In addition, supercapacitors are a cost-effective alternative to small backup batteries. Depending on the type of load and current demand, supercapacitors can store enough energy to provide power backup support ranging from a few seconds to several hours.

     KEMET Miniature supercapacitors use a proprietary water-based electrolyte solution that provides high durability and protects against liquid leakage, vibration and thermal shock, resulting in high reliability in harsh environments. Aqueous electrolytes are highly conductive, have little impact on the environment, are non-toxic and non-flammable. Unlike batteries, supercapacitors store and release energy quickly through physical adsorption and desorption of ions in the electrolyte between the electrodes.

     Because of the low internal resistance of supercapacitors, these components can be fully charged in seconds. In contrast, rechargeable batteries can take anywhere from ten minutes to several hours to fully charge. In addition, in theory, there is no limit to the life cycle of supercapacitors, while the life of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries is about 500 cycles. They also generally have greater hygroscopic resistance than organic compounds, resulting in a longer service life and better stability.

     The supercapacitor introduced by KEMET utilizes advanced water-based technology to improve the electrolyte and achieve the first supercapacitor that can withstand 105 ° C. According to the related Markets and Research report, the global supercapacitor market reached $4.4 billion in sales revenue in 2022 and is expected to reach $15.2 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 22.95% during the period. Increasing demand in markets such as electric vehicles, energy saving equipment for solar and wind energy systems, as well as increasing applications for monitoring and stabilization in the industrial market, are driving the rapid growth of the global supercapacitor market.