The researchers at the Imperial College, London, in partnership with Boffins at Volvo, have initiated a €3.4million project, aiming to develop a prototype material which will not only store and discharge electrical energy, but will also be strong and lightweight enough to be used for car parts.

This so-called 'plastic supercapacitor' will be capable of power storage, allowing the actual casing of a device to provide the power it requires to run. In cars, this means non-structural elements such as the bumpers and interior spaces could provide additional power for increased range and in portable devices, the actual case itself could store the energy required to make the device work.

By not needing a separate battery, the devices could be made smaller, more lightweight and more portable.

Project coordinator Dr Emile Greenhalgh, from Imperial's Department of Aeronautics, said, "We are really excited about the potential of this new technology. We think the car of the future could be drawing power from its roof, its bonnet or even the door, thanks to our new composite material. We're at the first stage of this project and there is a long way to go, but we think our composite material shows real promise".

Requiring fewer harmful chemicals during its manufacture, the plastic supercapacitor concept proves to be environment friendly