New Industry Products

BestCap electromechanical supercapacitor

October 10, 1999 by Jeff Shepard

AVX Corp. (Myrtle Beach, SC) recently announced its new BestCap (Battery Energy Saving Technology Capacitor) electromechanical supercapacitor based on an aqueous chemistry (RHISS, rechargeable hydrogen ion solid state). AVX claims the technology is ideal for high power pulsing and is designed for use in hand-held and mobile communications equipment to extend battery life. The company also claims RHISS results in an environmentally friendly non-hazardous material, providing a significant advantage over other lithium or nickel based power sources. Developed in partnership with ECR Limited, BestCap provides a combination of high capacitance and low equivalent series resistance (ESR) per unit volume. The polymer electrolyte system is capable of ultra-thin construction down to 0.7mm, with voltages from one to ten volts. Initial evaluation samples have voltage specifications of 5.5V, capacitance of between 60 and 200mF and ESR values of 40 to 100 milliohms depending on size. Packaging options are 27 x 17 x 2.5mm, 27 x 17 x 4.5mm and 48 x 30 x 2.5mm. In quantities of 100 pieces, pricing for the BestCap will be approximately $4.00 each. The device is currently available for sampling.