Electricity is increasingly becoming the backbone of modern society. It is clean at the point of use and makes it possible to integrate renewable sources like wind and solar power. But as we depend on electricity more and more, demand for the electronic components that make enable its use is growing rapidly.
One of the most important electrical components is the capacitor—a device that stores and releases electrical energy for short periods of time, sometimes only a fraction of a second. Unlike batteries, they are designed for fast, repeated charge–discharge cycles. Their primary function is to stabilize power supply by smoothing out fluctuations in electrical signals in circuits, but also to provide quick bursts of energy, filter different signals and enable fast switching in circuits. Every smartphone or personal computer contains more than 400 capacitors, meaning that most of us rely on thousands of capacitors every day. Capacitors are indispensable for short-term energy storage and essential for meeting the challenges of expanding electric power use.
However, today’s capacitors face two major challenges: they must be able to store more energy and deal with larger power loads to meet the needs of future electronics, and they must become more sustainable if we are to meet societies’ environmental targets. Current capacitors are a significant contributor to electronic waste (e-waste), which is not only an environmental hazard but also involves casting away thousands of tons of valuable materials. Improving capacitor recyclability is crucial for recovering valuable metals and other elements to return them to the value chain and reduce the environmental footprint of electronics.
This is where the DYNASTORE project comes in. DYNASTORE aims to develop a new generation of capacitors that combine high energy storage capacity with sustainability and recyclability. The project focuses on an innovative class of supramolecular materials known as plastic crystals—molecular structures where molecular rotations at the nanoscale work together with the larger crystal framework to provide low temperature synthesis pathways and enhanced electrical energy storage potential.
Researchers will explore two complementary design strategies, combining experiments with computer simulations. The unique properties of supramolecular materials—such as low-temperature synthesis and good solubility—will make it possible to manufacture capacitors more easily and in ways that support a circular economy. In particular, the valuable metals used in capacitor electrodes could be recovered and reused, reducing waste and conserving resources.
By pioneering this approach, DYNASTORE aims to lay the foundation for capacitors that are lightweight, easy to process, and far more sustainable than today’s state-of-the-art devices. This could transform the way we store and use electricity—supporting the shift toward renewable energy and more sustainable electronics for the future.
Electricity is the preferred energy form because it is clean at the site of use and allows the integration of renewable energy. Expanding the application of electricity however is increasing demand on the electrical circuitry that facilitate its use. Capacitors are key components in all electronics that need to be developed for a wider range of electrical conditions, particularly for high electrical energy density storage (HEEDS). Capacitors also contribute to the problem of E-waste, and their recyclability must be improved to increase the recovery of valuable materials and enhance the sustainability of future electronics.
DYNASTORE will address the need for HEEDS capacitors with opportunities for recycling and end of life material recovery from E-waste. DYNASTORE will do this by developing a new class of supramolecular materials that use a unique relationship between dynamic molecular orientations at the local length scale and the long-range crystal structure. This combination allows us to simultaneously enhance the maximum polarization, reduce the remanent polarization and increase the maximum electric field range, creating large recoverable electrical energy densities. This will be achieved through two separate compositional design approaches both with combined experimental and simulation work. First, we will use the molecular orientational disorder to frustrate the long-range order, producing relaxor-like ferroelectrics, with zero remanent polarization and large maximum polarizations. Secondly, we will engineer electric field induced phase transitions that switch the materials from zero net polarization to high maximum polarization states similarly as in antiferroelectric capacitors. The low synthesis temperature and solubility of supramolecular materials will be utilized to develop an easy processing of plastic crystal capacitors with a circular economy in which the valuable metal used for the electrodes in devices can be recovered and reused.
