IIT-Indore Researchers Develop Colour-Changing Supercapacitor For Smarter Energy Storage

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Researchers at IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Indore have developed a new type of energy storage device having potential of changing the ways we store and use energy in the future.

Led by Professor Rajesh Kumar, the team created a color-changing supercapacitor that not only stores energy but also shows its charging level through colors, i.e., red when fully charged, green when half charged and blue when discharged. 

This means users can instantly know the device’s charge status without any separate display or circuit.

The device is made up of a special vanadium oxide material that changes color as it charges or discharges. It also blocks infrared heat, helping in temperature control. 

The supercapacitor is solid, flexible and durable. The researchers have already made a large prototype that can be scaled up for real use.

This technology can be very useful in smart buildings and electric vehicles, where it can save energy by reducing heat and improving efficiency. It may also lead to electrochromic batteries in the future.

Strong participation of women scientists

A notable feature of this project is the strong role of women scientists, who make up more than half of the team.

The Director of IIT Indore, Professor Suhas Joshi, called it a proud moment and said it shows IIT Indore’s focus on sustainable innovation.

Overall, this color-changing, heat-blocking supercapacitor could become a major breakthrough for green and smart energy solutions.