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Years ago (2003?) I posted a similar idea. Can't find it. (Called it Batbattery)
See image in link
### Product Summary: The DigB 8800 digital capacitor battery
The DigB 8800 prototype is a high-density, solid-state energy storage module designed to replace conventional AA batteries. Unlike
chemical batteries, it achieves its capacity purely electrostatically using an integrated array of advanced micro-supercapacitors discharging in a stepped order creating a continuous and steady flow of electricity.
Charging works the same way in the opposite direction.
This module is constructed as a single, unibody stack of 25 interconnected microchips, eliminating the need for external wiring harnesses.
### Exact Unit Details (Model DGB-8800F)
* **Total Module Capacitance:** 8,800 Farads
* **Module Operating Voltage:** 1.5V (Nominal, equivalent to a standard alkaline AA)
* **Module Dimensions:** prototype: 6x6 sqcm x 7mm
** Note: We hope to scale down to AA battery size, and are not far from it.
* **Internal Component:** The DGB-SC100F Micro-Supercapacitor Chip
* **Core Material:** High-surface-area Graphene/MXene nanocomposite with solid-state gel electrolyte.
* **Individual Chip Footprint:** 3x3 cm (900 sqmm)
* **Individual Chip Thickness:** 1.0 mm (including substrate and encapsulation)
* **Capacitance per Individual Chip:** 360 Farads
* **Cell Patterning:** Each chip features 3,600 individual interdigitated electrode cells created via photolithography.
* **Internal Architecture:** The module consists of **7 stacked layers**. The bottom six layers utilize a 2x2 grid (4 chips per layer). The top layer uses a single chip (or custom connector substrate), totaling 25 individual DGB-SC100F chips, interconnected in parallel by internal laser-welded copper vias to achieve the total 8,800F capacity.
Current prototype AI image shows AI generated optimism that this can be achieved (or at least imagined).
Prototype
https://drive.googl...PB/view?usp=sharing
[pashute, Aug 20 2026]
1000F supercapacitor
https://energystora...hene-supercapacitor
Not the architecture described, and only (only!) 1kF. This is one of several links I found, but the one that seems closest to the original description. I could not get your 'prototype' link to work. [Richard K, Aug 20 2026]
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Interesting. Would this have any practical application or is it just a theoretical thought experiment? [+] either way. |
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Could you make it discharge at 60 cycles in opposing directions making an AC battery? |
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Isn't this just "Wouldn't it be nice if we could use capacitors instead of standard chemical cells? They charge fast you know!". |
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All the parameters are known, capacitors need a 10-30 fold boost in energy density (by volume/weight/cost, pick any, they're the same) to compete. It's not been happening historically and worse, battery tech has been improving - so the target is a moving one. |
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Let's imagine graphene solves the problem* and we have lithium-capacitor energy storage parity. Does it solve any major problems? Almost instant charging is an appealing feature, but it's not the lithium cells that are the bottleneck in many applications. Charging your phone in 10s vs 1 hr would be convenient, but the logistics of delivering 1000A are somewhat prohibitive - and you might mix up your phone charger and MIG welding rig. |
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Fast discharge is also a nice feature in some applications, but it's also terrifying. Lithium batteries are already scary when short circuited. Similar capacities with 1000x the current density is essentially a bomb. |
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I think the AA format is nearly dead too. I have maybe one remote that still uses them? The physical interaction of the cell and holder are built around the assumption of relatively low current draw - it's not suited to higher power applications. |
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*it needs to solve it's own problem of being manufacturable first. |
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bs0u0155 has mostly covered the bangy bit. Batteries and capacitors, a bit like rockets, try to pack as much energy into as small a volume as they can. If some energy comes out in the wrong way, the whole thing rapidly disassembles, and hilarity ensues. No bangs in your R&D department probably means people aren't going close enough to the edge. |
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There are systems that connect capicitors in varying ways. If you output 10 volts from 10 layers of 1 volt capacitors, by the time you had got 10% of the charge out, the voltage would have gone down to 9 volts. You can then connect your 0.9v capacitors in 11 layers getting back to 9.9 volts, and so on. Nows this isn't a good way of doing this, but if you get that, you can appreciate there may be ways using lots of capacitors of different sizes switching at different times to give an approximately smooth output. |
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So, what is the invention here? I feel this is a bit like trying to patent colour television in 1950 as "a colour TV tube, a decoder for a colour signal, and appropriate drive electronics". Maybe I am missing something but I'm gonna need some details for your bun. |
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