How to Make a Supercapacitor with Aluminum Foil (Step by Step, Each Detail) 500 F

Summary

This video tutorial demonstrates the process of creating a homemade supercapacitor using aluminum foil, activated carbon, and a surfactant-enhanced electrolyte. The host shares practical tips, such as surface preparation of the aluminum foil and the importance of using a binder to improve conductivity. The video also addresses common issues with electrolyte absorption and offers a solution using acetonitrile. The result is a high-capacity supercapacitor capable of powering a DC motor, showcasing its strength through short-circuit tests.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video demonstrates how to create a homemade supercapacitor using aluminum foil as an alternative to copper foil.
• 🔍 Three key components for making a supercapacitor are identified: electrolyte, current collector, and active material.
• 🛠️ The aluminum foil used should be 50 microns thick and not the thin kitchen foil to ensure effectiveness.
• 📏 The aluminum foil is cut into specific dimensions and the surface is sanded to improve the adherence of the active material.
• 🧼 Cleaning the aluminum foil with a wet paper towel is crucial to remove aluminum particles before the application of the active material.
• 🔄 The active material is prepared by mixing activated carbon with ultrafine graphite powder and deionized water, then binding with white glue.
• 🖌️ A hand blender is used to mix the active material thoroughly, which is then painted onto the aluminum foil electrodes.
• 📄 A post machine paper is used as a separator between the electrodes, which is more durable than regular paper.
• 💧 The electrolyte is made from sodium sulfate dissolved in deionized or distilled water, with a surfactant added to reduce surface tension.
• 🔋 The supercapacitor is assembled in a plastic container and soaked with the electrolyte, requiring a waiting period for full absorption.
• ⏱️ The supercapacitor is charged at 1 amp for approximately 10 minutes, suggesting a capacitance of 500 farads, and then tested for voltage and discharge capability.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to demonstrate how to create a homemade supercapacitor using aluminum foil, following a practical method that is close to commercial supercapacitors.

Why is aluminum foil preferred over kitchen foil for making a supercapacitor?

Aluminum foil is preferred because it is thicker (50 microns) and more suitable for the project, while kitchen foil is very thin and may not work well for creating a supercapacitor.

What are the three important components of a supercapacitor mentioned in the video?

The three important components of a supercapacitor are the electrolyte, the current collector, and the active material that is used to paint the current collector.

Why is it necessary to roughen the surface of the aluminum foil before applying the active material?

Roughening the surface of the aluminum foil helps the active material to adhere better, resulting in lower internal resistance and higher conductivity of the supercapacitor.

What is the role of graphite powder in the active material mixture?

Graphite powder is added to the activated carbon to improve its conductivity, as activated carbon alone does not have very good conductivity.

Why is a binder like white glue used in the active material mixture?

A binder like white glue is used to help the active material adhere to the aluminum foil and to maintain its structure during the supercapacitor's operation.

How long should the active material be mixed with a blender for optimal results?

The active material should be mixed with a blender for about 10 to 15 minutes at high speed to ensure a thorough and even mixture.

What is the importance of pressing the activated carbon material onto the aluminum foil?

Pressing the activated carbon material onto the aluminum foil ensures better conductivity by compacting the layer and improving contact between the material and the foil.

Why is a separator used between the electrodes in the supercapacitor?

A separator is used to prevent the electrodes from short-circuiting while allowing ions to move between them, which is essential for the supercapacitor's function.

What is the electrolyte used in the supercapacitor and how is its surface tension reduced?

Sodium sulfate in deionized or distilled water is used as the electrolyte. The surface tension is reduced by adding a surfactant such as acetone, which allows the electrolyte to be absorbed by the supercapacitor.

How can you estimate the capacitance of the supercapacitor after charging it for a certain time?

If the supercapacitor reaches 1.2 to 1.3 volts after being charged at 1 amp for about 10 minutes, it can be estimated to have a capacitance of approximately 500 farads.

What test is performed at the end of the video to demonstrate the supercapacitor's strength?

A short-circuit test and running a DC motor with the supercapacitor are performed to demonstrate its strength and energy storage capability.

Outlines

00:00

🔋 Introduction and Preparation for Aluminum Foil Super Capacitor

The host welcomes viewers and introduces the concept of making a super capacitor using aluminum foil due to the difficulty of finding copper foil. They highlight three key components needed: electrolyte, current collector, and active material. The compatibility of these elements is crucial for a successful super capacitor. The host also explains the importance of preparing the aluminum foil by cutting it to specific dimensions and etching its surface with sandpaper for better adhesion of the active material.

05:01

✂️ Cutting and Preparing Aluminum Foil Terminals

The host demonstrates cutting the aluminum foil into two pieces and explains the importance of leaving parts for the terminals of the super capacitor. These terminals are folded to make them thicker and more durable. The host emphasizes the necessity of cleaning the etched foil with a wet paper towel to remove residues, ensuring better conductivity and lower internal resistance.

10:03

⚗️ Creating the Active Material for the Super Capacitor

The host prepares the active material by mixing activated carbon with ultra-fine graphite powder to enhance conductivity. Deionized water is added, followed by regular white glue as a binder. The mixture is thoroughly stirred and then blended for better consistency. The host then applies this active material to both sides of the aluminum foil using a brush, ensuring an even, thin layer to maximize conductivity.

15:28

🧴 Preparing and Applying the Electrolyte

The host explains how to prepare the electrolyte using sodium sulfate and deionized water. They highlight a critical point often missed in other tutorials: breaking down the surface tension of the electrolyte using a surfactant like acetone, methanol, ethanol, or dish detergent. This ensures that the electrolyte soaks into the active material properly. The host demonstrates adding the prepared electrolyte to the super capacitor and suggests waiting a few days for complete absorption.

20:30

🔌 Sealing and Testing the Super Capacitor

The host completes the super capacitor by sealing it with hot glue and preparing it for testing. They explain how to charge the super capacitor using a charger and then test its voltage. The host demonstrates the strength of the super capacitor by short-circuiting it with a copper wire and running a DC motor. The video concludes with the host encouraging viewers to subscribe and like the video.

Keywords

💡Supercapacitor

A supercapacitor is an energy storage device that can provide a large amount of current in a short time. It has a much higher capacitance than a standard capacitor. In the video, the theme revolves around creating a homemade supercapacitor using aluminum foil, which is a key component in the process.

💡Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil is a thin sheet of aluminum commonly used for cooking and packaging. In the context of the video, it serves as the current collector for the supercapacitor. The script mentions using 50-micron-thick aluminum foil, which is thicker and more suitable than kitchen foil for this project.

💡Electrolyte

The electrolyte is a medium that allows the flow of ions between the two electrodes of a supercapacitor. It is a critical component for the device's function. The video explains the importance of the electrolyte's compatibility with other elements and demonstrates how to prepare it using sodium sulfate and water, with a surfactant to reduce surface tension.

💡Current Collector

A current collector in a supercapacitor is a material that efficiently carries the current from the active material to the external circuit. The aluminum foil used in the video serves this purpose, and the script describes how to prepare it by cutting, folding, and attaching terminals for better conductivity.

💡Active Material

The active material in a supercapacitor is responsible for storing charge. In the video, a mixture of activated carbon and graphite powder is used as the active material. This mixture is painted onto the aluminum foil to create the electrodes, with the script detailing the preparation and application process.

💡Activated Carbon

Activated carbon is a form of carbon processed to have small, low-volume pores that increase its surface area available for adsorption or chemical reactions. In the script, it is mixed with graphite powder to improve conductivity and is painted onto the aluminum foil to form the supercapacitor's electrodes.

💡Graphite Powder

Graphite powder is used in the video to enhance the conductivity of the activated carbon. It is an ultra-fine powder derived from the mineral graphite, which is a good conductor of electricity. The script mentions adding a small amount of graphite powder to the activated carbon before applying it to the aluminum foil.

💡Separator

A separator in a supercapacitor is a material that prevents the two electrodes from coming into direct contact, which would cause a short circuit. In the video, post machine paper is used as a separator, chosen for its durability and effectiveness in preventing the electrolyte from causing a short circuit.

💡Surfactant

A surfactant is a substance that reduces the surface tension of a liquid, allowing it to mix with another substance. In the context of the video, acetonitrile is used as a surfactant to ensure the electrolyte is absorbed by the supercapacitor's active material, which is crucial for the device's performance.

💡Charge and Discharge

Charging and discharging refer to the processes of storing and releasing energy in a supercapacitor, respectively. The script describes how to charge the homemade supercapacitor using a charger and an ampere setting, and then tests its performance by discharging it through a short circuit and powering a DC motor.

💡DC Motor

A DC motor is a type of electric motor that is powered by direct current (DC). In the video, the supercapacitor's ability to deliver a high current is demonstrated by running a DC motor using the energy stored in the supercapacitor, showcasing its capacity to power devices.

Highlights

Introduction to making a supercapacitor using aluminum foil as an alternative to copper foil.

Three important components of a supercapacitor: electrolyte, current collector, and active material.

Importance of compatibility among the components for efficient supercapacitor performance.

Practical method to combine elements for a supercapacitor resembling commercial ones.

Preparation of the current collector using 50-micron thick aluminum foil.

Warning against using thin kitchen foil for supercapacitor construction.

Technique to etch the surface of aluminum foil for better adhesion of active material.

Cleaning the aluminum foil to remove aluminum particles after etching.

Cutting and folding aluminum foil to create terminals for the supercapacitor.

Preparation of the active material mixture with activated carbon and graphite powder.

Use of deionized water and a binder (white glue) in the active material mixture.

Mixing the active material thoroughly with a hand blender for even consistency.

Applying the active material evenly on both sides of the aluminum foil electrodes.

Pressing the active material onto the aluminum foil for improved conductivity.

Assembling the supercapacitor with separators made from post machine paper.

Explanation of the electrolyte preparation using sodium sulfate and water.

The critical role of a surfactant to break down water surface tension for electrolyte absorption.

Demonstration of the supercapacitor's absorption of the electrolyte with the surfactant.

Recommendation to wait for the supercapacitor to soak the electrolyte for optimal performance.

Sealing the supercapacitor with hot glue to ensure no leakage.

Charging the supercapacitor and estimating its capacitance based on charging time and voltage.

Testing the supercapacitor by short-circuiting and running a DC motor.

Conclusion and invitation to subscribe for more DIY electronics projects.

Transcripts

hello my friends welcome to my channel

and I hope you're all fine in today's

video I'm going to make a super

capacitor by using aluminum foil in the

previous video I made a super capacitor

by using copper foil and a lot of people

asked me that told me that uh copper

foil is very difficult to find so could

you make a super capacit by using

aluminum foil so in today's video I'm

going to make a super capacit by using

aluminum foil after that time since that

time I made a lot of experiments on

super Capac and I find some diff some

practical ways to make a super capacitor

by using aluminum foil so before get

started video I want to tell you uh some

important points about super capacitors

if you want to make a super capacitors

there are three important points the

first one is electrolyte the second one

is current collector and the third one

is active material that you are going to

use to paint your um current collector

and also the compatibility of these uh

three elements is are very very

important so I as I said said I find a

very practical way to uh combine these

two uh elements to make a super

capacitor so the super capacitor that we

are going to make in this video will be

very nice very beautiful very close to

commercial super capacitor so let's

start first of all uh we need to prepare

our curent collector for Cur collector

as I said I'm going to use this um

aluminum foil this aluminum foil is uh

50 microns thick uh if you're if you

want to use uh kitchen foil I don't

recommend you to use uh kitchen foil

because kitchen foil is very very thin

it will not work uh very well so instead

of kitchen foil I recommend you to use

uh these kinds of uh aluminum foil as I

said it is uh 50 microns thick and 20 uh

12

CM and I will just cut

um um six 60 cm to 12 CM and I will

divide it into two pieces so I will have

two pieces of 60 uh cm long and 6 cm in

length uh aluminum foil and I will atch

the surface of the aluminum foil so

let's cut our aluminum foil to make our

super

p

okay before divided uh this aluminum

foil into two pieces I need to atch the

surface of the aluminum foil I'm going

to use sandp paper to atch the surface

of the foil some people ask me that why

we need to Ash the surface of the

aluminum foil uh if you don't Ash the

surface when you paint your AC material

uh on the aluminum foil it will not not

stick very well if you add the surface

of the foil the active material is stick

very very well and uh the internal

resistance of the super capacitor will

be very very low the conductivity will

be very high so I'm going to use the

Sandpaper and Ash the surface of the

aluminum foil after that I will divide

it into two pieces my aluminum

foil

okay my friends after Ash the surface

after aluminum foil with the help of a

wet uh paper toel I will clean the uh

aluminum foil because I need to remove

the residues of the um aluminum

particles just clean

it after you clean the aluminum foil I

will let it to

dry you

see I need to clean these particles

these

[Music]

residues

okay my friends after clean and dry now

I will divide it the aluminum foil into

two pieces look at very carefully how I

will divide it it's very

important at this point is very

important I I will leave some part of

aluminum foil to make uh for the

terminal of my super

capacitor part

here

and some part

[Music]

here now when I cut uh the aluminum foil

into two pieces I won't cut these small

parts my

[Music]

friends

just watch

carefully you see my friends these parts

will be our terminal for my for our

super capacitor so it's very important

point now I

will

fold these parts to make it

thicker okay just fold another

[Music]

time you see my friends we have

terminals for the

faster now I will do the same thing for

the other

one okay my friends our Cur collectors

are ready now we are going to make our

active material for our super capacitor

I will show you how how we will make our

active

material okay my friends now we can

prepare our active material to prepare

our active material I have a glass here

I'm going to use this glass and I will

put about 20 G of activated carbon into

the

[Music]

glass

and I'm going to put about four or five

G of

um graphite powder ultra fine graphite

powder why we use graphite powder

because the conductivity of activated

carb is not very good and when we add

some graphite powder ultrafine graphite

powder into the activated carbon the

conductivity of our Super Capacity will

be

[Music]

increased you don't have to add too much

[Music]

okay that's enough my

friends now I'm going to use uh

deionized water I will just add about 30

or 50 uh milliters of deionized

[Music]

water okay now let's put this

away and I will stir it very

[Music]

well if you need you can add some more

water

[Music]

[Music]

now I need a binder as a binder I'm

going to use regular white

glue and I will just put about uh two or

three G not too

much okay just put two or three

G okay I think that's

enough now I will stir again and I have

to stir it very very well my friends do

you see the

[Music]

form mix it very very

well

now my friends to mix it better I'm

going to use my hand blender and I will

just mix it with uh the blender for this

I'm going to use my uh homemade

battery I recommend you to mix the Lowry

with your blender for about 10 or 15

minutes with a very high

speed

okay my friends after mixing the active

material very well for about 10 or 15

minutes I'm going to use a brush to

paint my aluminum foil now I will just

paint both sides of the plates of the

electrodes and I will let them to dry

after they completely dry we will

continue to make our super Capac now I'm

going to just paint the aluminum foils

the

electrodes when you paint the electrod

be careful about these points try to

paint them evenly as much as possible

and make the layer um very very thin not

uh thick because the conductivity uh

will be increased if the layer uh active

material layer is thick the conductive

will be increased so uh the active

material layer should be thin as much as

possible

okay my friends our electrodes are

completely dried before move on the next

step I need to press the activated

carbon active material on the aluminum

foil in order to having a better

conductivity so I'm going to use this um

plastic bottle and just rolled on them

pressed active material in order to

having good uh conductivity okay this is

a very important process don't uh push

very very hard but uh slowly and after

that you can push harder to press the

active material uh on the

electrodes

okay after this process now I'm going to

use two pieces of separator and just

roll the electrodes uh to make sure you

see the whole things everything I will

just uh zoom out the camera and show you

everything um in detailed okay my

friends as a separator I am going to use

a post machine paper in our previous

video I just used regular paper but for

this project I'm going to use uh post

machine paper this is better than the

other one because uh it is very durable

material uh to the electroly so if you

use uh post machine paper you will get

better

result

put the second foil just a little bit

further than the other one my friends

it's very

important okay be careful everything

should be overlap each

[Music]

other

that

[Music]

[Music]

okay my friends our super capacitor is

almost ready now I will put it into this

plastic to plastic container just like

this as you see it just fit inside it

very well now it's time to prepare our

electrolyte and complete our super

capacitor now I will show you how you

can prepare your electrolyte okay my

friend as an electrolyte I'm going to

use sodium sulfate and um deionized

water or distilled water you can use

either deionized or distilled water I

have a glass here I just put uh some

deionized water inside it and just add

some um sodium sulfate inside

it okay just add

some uh sodium sulfate inside the the

IED

water the uh marity should be one mol

sodium sulfate into the onized water so

I will just add some

more

okay and shake it very

[Music]

well

is our electrolyte almost ready but

there is a very critical point here in

most of the videos nobody tell you this

secret if you directly use this

electrolyte in your super capacitor the

result will be like this your superer

will not work why because uh the surface

tension of the water when you put sodium

sulfate uh the S uh the surface tension

of the water will increase and it will

not soaked by the super capacitor so

your super capacitor doesn't uh will not

work so uh I will show you what I mean

now I have a piece of aluminum foil and

just uh paint with activated carbon with

the same uh active material in our super

capacitor now I will just drop one drop

of electrolyte onto it and we will see

what I mean

okay if you directly add the electrolyte

onto the active

material you see what happened my

friends the electrolyte just stay on the

top of the active material it's not it's

not uh soaked by the uh active material

so if you directly use your electrolyte

the result will just like this and your

super capacitor will not work so how it

will solve this problem almost in all

videos they just said uh use waterbased

sodium sulfate but just a moment ago as

I showed you if you use uh sodium

waterbased sodium sulfate your super

capacity will not work so how we will uh

solve this problem don't worry too much

my friend there's a very uh practical

very easy way to solve this problem we

need to use use a surfactant to uh break

down the surface tension of the water so

what kind of materials you can use as a

surfactant you can use methanol or

ethanol or aceton nutral but if you have

none of them you can also use a dish

detergent or dis stove it will just

break down the surface tension of the

water and you can use uh this

electrolyte for your super capacitor

with peace of mind as I have aceton

nutral here for this project I am I'm

going to just add a little bit aceton

nutral inside it but as I said you can

also use antinol or methanol or dish

detergent it doesn't matter my friends

don't put too much just um add a little

bit you see about uh 1 mgram or maybe

less okay

shake it

again now our electrolyte is ready to

add it to our super capacitor I will

just add uh with the help of my

injection

add

slowly can you see my friends the super

capacitor soaked the electrolyte because

of the aceton Neal we use the surfactant

if directly we put it the electrolyte it

it wouldn't uh work my

friends but now it's work very

well

okay some

more can you see the B bubles it means

the super capacitor soaked the

electrolyte okay my friends my

recommendation to you to wait for about

1 or two days uh because our super

capacitor should soak the electrolyte

completely and after one or two days or

maybe four or 5 days your super

capacitor will work very very

efficiently after half an hour you see

most of the electrolytes soaked by the

super capacitor and your super capacitor

is ready to use uh I will wait for about

a few days and after that I will charge

and um discharge my super capacitor okay

my friends after a few days our super

capacity is ready to use it soaked the

whole electrolyte inside it now I will

close um with this lid and sealed it

very well and after that we will make we

will charge our super capacitor and make

some test on it's

okay

I'm going to use my hot glue to seal

it sealed it very well my

friends

okay I will wait until uh my hot glue is

dried and after that I will charge my

super capacitor and make some test on

it okay my friends now I am going to

charge my super capacitor I have my

charger here and I will connect my super

capacitor to the charger and

uh I will charge my super capacitor with

1 amp in about 10 minutes uh because I

think my super capacity is 500 F so some

people ask me that how you can uh

measure the capacitor of your super

capacitor if your capacitor is one b 1.2

volt or 1.3 volt and if you charge it

with 1 amp about 10 minutes it means

that your super capacitor is 500 fad so

uh I'm just going to charge my super

Capac with 1 amp about um 10 minutes my

friends

okay okay I fully charged my stripper

capacity now I'm am going to test my

super capacitor my

friends now let's put it away and

measure the voltage inside

it just uh my multimeter here I'm just

going to measure the voltage inside

it uh as you see my friends you have

1.35 uh volts inside the SP P there look

again 1 35 okay now I will just uh make

other test on this super capacitor I

will just short circuit it and try to

run a DC motor with my super capacitor

okay my friends first of all let's short

circuit our super capacitor I have a

piece of um Cooper wire here I will just

short circuit

it

wow

oh I have just um another one it's a

little bit thicker

just um short circuit

it

ow just short circuit this

one

it's really pretty strong SP Buster

right my friends it's pretty strong one

more

time

oh ah maybe you remember our previous

capacitor uh wasn't as much as strong

but this one is uh very strong very

strong super capacitor um so now I will

try to uh run this DC motor uh with the

super

capacitor okay you see that how strong

it

[Music]

is wow that's pretty

cool okay my friends we get the end of

our video I hope you enjoyed the video

we have a very nice very beautiful uh

homemade super capacitor here you can

easily do this super capacity at your

home I hope you enjoyed the video If you

enjoyed the video please subscribe my

channel and like the video take care of

yourself my friends see you in the next

videos