Emerging trends in electrochemical energy storage: A focus on low-temperature pseudocapacitors

Supercapacitors, also known as ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors, play a vital role in modern energy storage and electronic systems due to their outstanding characteristics. They boast high power density, making them ideal for applications requiring rapid energy delivery and absorption, such as electric vehicles for quick acceleration and regenerative braking. Additionally, their extended cycle life, enduring hundreds of thousands to millions of charge-discharge cycles, suits scenarios demanding consistent, long-term performance. The field of low-temperature pseudocapacitors (LTPCs) has seen significant advancements, becoming a key domain in energy storage research. This review explores the latest developments in LTPCs, highlighting their potential as efficient energy storage devices. It delves into their unique properties contributing to enhanced pseudocapacitive performance at low temperatures and dissects the electrochemical processes governing this phenomenon. Recent breakthroughs in device architectures and engineering strategies are showcased, addressing challenges like freezing-induced electrolyte degradation and reduced ion mobility. This review concludes by outlining potential research directions and key challenges for advancing LTPCs towards practical, widespread applications. It serves as a valuable resource for scientists, engineers, and policymakers, guiding the future development of energy storage technologies tailored for low-temperature environments. © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Global Science and Technology Forum Pte Ltd.