Commercialising World Leading
Australian Science and Engineering
Supercapacitors
Calum J. Drummond
Vice President Research CAP-XX Pty Ltd
(on secondment from CSIRO since January 2001)
ARC Federation Fellow at CSIRO from 01 July 2004
CAP-XX: A Global High Growth SME
R&D:
1993 (CSIRO and founder began collaboration)
Founder:
Anthony Kongats (CEO CAP-XX Pty Ltd: est. 1997)
Product:
Supercapacitors
Funding:
$ 52.0m private (mainly VC)
$ 5.4m AusIndustry R&D Start (2 grants)
HQ:
Lane Cove, NSW
70 staff (worldwide)
Sales:
100% Export; US$ 1.4m (2004)
Offices:
Sydney, Dallas, Taipei & Japan (Distributor)
US$ 50m (2008)
Consumers want a better mobile experience — devices that
are smaller, more portable and more highly functional
– All-in-one devices
– Small, light
– Long run time
– Fast recharge
Current portable power solutions cannot meet increasing
consumer demands
Power
density
Capacitors
• Very limited energy
storage capacity
• Bulky
• Heavy
Gap in capabilities
• Insufficient power
• Cannot provide ‘burst’ power
• Safety and durability issues
Batteries/
Fuel Cells
Energy density
Supercapacitors have a unique ability to provide a
solution that is small, lightweight and has the power to fill
the gap in capabilities
Supercapacitor
Applications
Power
density
Capacitors
Capacitor
replacements
Battery
complements
Battery
replacements
Batteries /
Fuel Cells
Energy density
CAP-XX is a world leader in Supercapacitor technology
1.E+03
Power Density (kW/l)
1.E+02
cap-XX
AVX
Cooper
Kanebo
Maxwell
Power Systems
NESS
Panasonic
Nichicon
NEC Tokin
ELNA
1.E+01
1.E+00
1.E-01
1.E-02
1.E-02
1.E-01
1.E+00
Energy Density (Wh/l)
1.E+01
1.E+02
CAP-XX designs and manufactures the world’s most
advanced Supercapacitors
vs
vs
Revolutionary combination
of power and energy
in one small device
CAP-XX Supercapacitors: Nanotechnology enables energy
storage
E  CV
2
2
CkA d
Large capacitance generated with
• very high surface area activated
carbon (nanopores) electrode beds
“A” approx. 2000 m2/g
• charge separation being ionic
dimensions
“d” approx. 0.5 nm
CAP-XX Supercapacitors: Nanotechnology provides high
power
P V
2
4R
Effective power generated with
• manipulation of structure of
materials on nano-scale to
decrease resistance (increase
conductivity) “R” of
supercapacitor
Supercapacitors: Realising a 120+ year old concept to
manipulate a nano-scale phenomenon
Hermann von Helmholtz
1881 Faraday Lecture
two electrodes immersed in an
electrolyte solution, where with an
applied potential “the ions (are)
carried to the electrodes”
“whole apparatus behaves… like a
condenser (capacitor) of enormous
capacity”
“the distance between the two
strata of positive and negative
electricity – the one lying on the
last molecules of the metal, the
other on those of the fluid – ought
to be 1/10,000,000th of a millimetre.”
CAP-XX: Powering Next Generation Products
Wireless PCMCIA Cards &
Compact Flash Cards
Wireless PDAs &
Smart Phones
Wireless Sensors &
Embedded Modules
CAP-XX Supercapacitors: Enabling Wireless
Communication
CAP-XX Supercapacitor
assembled on a circuit
board for a Compact Flash
card enabled for wireless
communication.
Supercapacitor is located to the
left of the SIM card holder.
CAP-XX: Using Alliances to Create Unique Competitive
Advantages
These partners …
Provide these benefits …
World-class expertise in carbons, polymers, surface
chemistry, electrochemistry, materials science and
nanotechnology.
ARC Special Research Centre for Particulate Fluids
Processing provides leading edge expertise in dispersions,
coatings and theory of colloidal and interfacial processes.
Breadth and depth of knowledge and experience in
product design, custom high volume machine design &
build.
OEMS
Industry and application knowledge and road maps
CAP-XX: Using Alliances to Create Unique Competitive
Advantages
These investors …
Provide these benefits …
Insight and influence over PC market and development.
High volume component manufacturing.
High volume product assembly.
First tier customer.
Deep & broad experience and knowledge in Finance,
Administration and Governance.
Wide connections in technology, upstream and downstream
companies in USA and Asia.
Buying power and reach
Network of professional skills
Experience in global commercialisation of technology
companies in Australian environment
CAP-XX: In Summary
• Global Leader:
Supercapacitor technology for portable
electronic devices
• 100% Export:
North American, European & Asian
customers
• Nanotechnology:
Nano-structured materials and nano-scale
processes provide competitive edge
• Alliances Critical:
CSIRO, Uni-Melb, Invetech, Intel, Acer,
ABN Amro, VCs and OEMs
• Multi-Application:
GPRS wireless devices such as PDAs,
PCMCIA Cards and Compact Flash Cards.
Over 200 other applications
CAP-XX: Opportunities and Challenges
Opportunities
• Market > US$ 1bn per annum by 2010
• Sales to date approx US$ 1.4m
Challenges
• Chasing market opportunities while maintaining a
competitive advantage through R&D
• Balancing short-term outcomes for existing investors
versus long term potential of company
• Maximizing opportunity for Australia
Commercialising World Leading
Australian Science and Engineering
Supercapacitors
Calum J. Drummond