Open Competition 2 - Electronics and Photonics

New Polymer Dielectrics for High Energy Density Film Capacitors

Sponsor: Ohio Aerospace Institute

• Project Performance Period: 10/1/2003 - 9/30/2007
• Total project (est.): $5,242,242.00
• Requested ATP funds: $2,547,730.00

Thin-film plastic capacitors are used widely in such diverse products as cell phones, defibrillators, and electrical motors. Current technological limits in energy density of these films does not allow their use in many future power source system applications where smaller size and weight are critical. However, a breakthrough technology in thin-film, plastic dielectric material offers the possibility of generating at least 10 times the energy density of existing capacitors, while reducing their weight and cost. The new core technology is patented by Lithium Power Technologies, Inc., but many technical barriers preclude its further development into new polymer materials in thin-film form without extensive research and development. These barriers include difficulties in manufacturing having to do with forming the film, such as resin compounding and extrusion, film thickness reduction, film quality, reproducibility, and metallization. The joint venture that proposes to develop the new film capacitors, which includes Ohio Aerospace Institute, Lithium Power Technologies, Parallax Power Components, Case Western Reserve University, and DuPont Teijin Films, has established an ambitious technology development plan. The plan has stringent technical goals for achieving improvements in key film characteristics while ensuring that costs will remain lower than current technology. Key characteristics that must show great improvements include dielectric constant, breakdown voltage, dissipation factor, and practical energy density. To achieve these goals, the joint venture must develop a new polymer with the right electrical, thermal, adhesive, extrusive, and crystalline properties to ensure manufacture of the new thin-film material. The three-year project will focus initially on the high-voltage AC capacitor market for lighting and motor applications. Lithium Power, one of the joint venture members, has sought research and development funding for this project for several years without success. This project team likely would not have come together without ATP funding. The joint venture organizations predict that capacitors made with the new material will displace more costly, less efficient, and heavier ceramic and electrolytic capacitors, opening up a potential market of $4.2 billion in sales and 4,500 jobs. Successful development of this technology could give U.S. industry a reliable domestic source of capacitors, thereby establishing a competitive advantage and improving the U.S. trade balance. The United States could become a world leader in developing new generations of electrical equipment with applications that improve health, reduce energy consumption, and improve security.

For project information:

Laurie Beringer, (440) 962-3114
LaurieBeringer@oai.org

Active Project Participants

• Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH)
  [Original, Active Member]
  
• DuPont Teijin Films U.S. Limited Partnership (Circleville, OH)
  [Original, Active Member]
  
• Lithium Power Technologies, Inc. (Manvel, TX)
  [Original, Active Member]
  
• Parallax Power Components, L.L.C., Capacitor Division (New Bedford, MA)
  [Original, Active Member]
  

ATP Project Manager

Eric Samuelson, (301) 975-6393
eric.samuelson@nist.gov