Energy storage apparatus and related methods

Abstract

An energy storage apparatus includes a porous conductor substrate, an insulator layer in contact with inner surfaces of the porous conductor substrate, and a conductor layer in contact with outer surfaces of the insulator layer. A method of manufacturing an energy storage apparatus includes providing a porous conductor substrate, providing an insulator layer in contact with inner surfaces of the porous conductor substrate, and providing a conductor layer in contact with outer surfaces of the insulator layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An energy storage apparatus, comprising:
 a porous conductor substrate;   an insulator layer in contact with inner surfaces of the porous conductor substrate; and   a conductor layer in contact with outer surfaces of the insulator layer.   
     
     
         2 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the insulator layer is additionally in contact with exterior surfaces of the porous conductor substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the insulator layer is formed on the inner surfaces of the porous conductor substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the conductor layer is formed on the outer surfaces of the insulator layer. 
     
     
         5 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the insulator layer comprises first and second sequentially applied coatings of insulator material. 
     
     
         6 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the insulator layer further comprises a third coating applied after the second coating of insulator material. 
     
     
         7 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein each of the coatings of insulator material has a thickness of between 2-10 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the insulator layer comprises a first layer formed from a first insulator material and a second layer formed from a second insulator material different than the first material. 
     
     
         9 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first insulator material has a higher dielectric strength than the second insulator material. 
     
     
         10 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein second material has a higher dielectric constant than the first material. 
     
     
         11 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein at least one or both of the first and second layers has a thickness less than about 50 nm. 
     
     
         12 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second layer has a thickness that is substantially equal to or less than the thickness of the first layer. 
     
     
         13 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the insulator layer further comprises a third layer formed from an insulator material different than the second insulator material and applied to the second layer. 
     
     
         14 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the third layer has a higher dielectric field strength than the second insulator material. 
     
     
         15 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the insulator layer comprises:
 a first electrical storage layer operative to store energy in a polarised configuration when a voltage is applied across the porous conductor substrate and conductor layer; and   a second electrical storage layer configured to change between an electrically insulative configuration and an electrically conductive configuration, with transition from the electrically insulative configuration to the electrically conductive configuration occurring in response to application of a voltage exceeding a threshold voltage across the porous conductor substrate and the conductor layer.   
     
     
         16 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the threshold voltage is at least 100 volts. 
     
     
         17 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second electrical storage layer is an ionizable fluid and the electrically conductive configuration is an ionized configuration generated by applying a voltage equal to or exceeding a breakdown voltage of the second electrical storage layer across the second electrical storage layer. 
     
     
         18 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second electrical storage layer comprises a plurality of semiconductor parts arranged electrically in series between the porous conductor substrate and conductor layer each semiconductor part having associated therewith a threshold voltage at which its electrical behavior changes from an electrically insulative to electrically conductive. 
     
     
         19 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the insulator layer further comprises a third electrical storage layer located on an opposed side of the first electrical storage layer to the second electrical storage layer, the third electrical storage layer being configured to change between an electrically insulative configuration and an electrically conductive configuration, with transition from the electrically insulative configuration to the electrically conductive configuration occurring in response to application of the voltage across the porous conductor substrate and the conductor layer. 
     
     
         20 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second and third electrical storage layers have different electrical properties. 
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing an energy storage apparatus, comprising:
 providing a porous conductor substrate;   providing an insulator layer in contact with inner surfaces of the porous conductor substrate; and   providing a conductor layer in contact with outer surfaces of the insulator layer.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of exposing the insulator layer to inner surfaces of the porous conductor substrate comprises forming the insulator layer on inner surfaces of the porous conductor substrate. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of providing the conductor layer comprises forming a conductor layer on outer surfaces of the insulator layer. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the porous conductor substrate remains porous after the step of forming the insulator layer. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of forming the conductor layer comprises applying a conductor material to the outer surfaces of the insulator layer. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of applying the insulator layer comprises:
 applying a first coating of insulator material to inner surfaces of the porous conductor substrate; and   after the first coating of insulator material is substantially fully formed, applying a second coating of insulator material to outer surfaces of the first coating of insulator material.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of applying the insulator layer further comprises, after the second coating of insulator material is substantially fully formed, applying a third coating of insulator material to outer surfaces of the second coating of insulator material. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each of the insulator layers has a thickness of between 2 nm and 10 nm. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of applying the insulator layer comprises applying a first layer formed from a first insulator material and applying second layer formed from a second insulator material different than the first material. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the first insulator material has a higher dielectric strength than the second insulator material. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the second material has a higher dielectric constant than the first material. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein at least one or both of the first and second layers has a thickness less than about 50 nm. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of applying the insulator layer further comprises applying, to the second layer, a third layer formed from an insulator material different than the second insulator material. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the third layer has a higher dielectric field strength than the second insulator material. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the porous conductor substrate comprises a substantially planar body defining a central longitudinal axis and the step of forming at least one of the layers comprises rotating the porous conductor substrate relative to a layer applicator about the central longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the forming step further comprises simultaneously rotating the central longitudinal axis of the substrate relative to the layer applicator about a further axis inclined relative to the central longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         37 . An energy storage apparatus, comprising:
 first and second spaced conductor parts operative to generate a voltage therebetween above a threshold voltage;   a first electrical storage part located between the first and second conductor parts, the first electrical storage part being operative to store energy in a polarised configuration when the voltage is applied across the first and second conductor parts; and   a second electrical storage part located between the first electrical storage part and one of the first and second conductor parts, the second electrical storage part being configured to change between an electrically insulative configuration and an electrically conductive configuration, with transition from the electrically insulative configuration to the electrically conductive configuration occurring in response to application of the voltage across the first and second conductor parts.   
     
     
         38 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the second electrical storage part is an ionizable fluid and the electrically conductive configuration is an ionized configuration generated by applying a voltage equal to or exceeding a breakdown voltage of the second electrical storage part across the second electrical storage part. 
     
     
         39 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the second electrical storage part comprises a plurality of semiconductor parts arranged electrically in series between the first and second spaced conductor parts each semiconductor part having associated therewith a threshold voltage at which its electrical behavior changes from an electrically insulative to electrically conductive. 
     
     
         40 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the first electrical storage part comprises a porous structure and the ionizable fluid forming the second electrical storage part extends into the porous structure. 
     
     
         41 . The energy storage apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a third electrical storage part located on an opposed side of the first electrical storage part to the second electrical storage part, the third electrical storage part being configured to change between an electrically insulative configuration and an electrically conductive configuration, with transition from the electrically insulative configuration to the electrically conductive configuration occurring in response to application of the voltage across the first and second conductor parts.