Australian breakthrough in supercapacitors: scientists develop a new material

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Monash University scientists develop innovative carbon material that could transform the energy storage market

Researchers at Monash University have developed an innovative carbon material that could completely change the energy storage market. Using this material, supercapacitors can achieve performance comparable to traditional lead-acid batteries while delivering energy much faster. This breakthrough opens the door to applications in electric mobility, grid stabilization, and consumer electronics.

New material architecture
The research team, led by Prof. Mainak Majumder, director of the ARC Research Hub for Advanced Manufacturing with 2D Materials, created a so-called multiscale reduced graphene oxide (M-rGO). The material is derived from natural graphite—a resource abundant in Australia.

The key to success is a rapid thermal annealing process, which gives graphene a curved structure with clearly defined pathways for ion flow. This unlocks a much larger active surface area, resulting in exceptional properties: high energy density and high power density—a combination rarely seen in a single device.

Impressive results
Supercapacitors developed at Monash University achieved in laboratory tests:

  • Energy density up to 99.5 Wh/L (using liquid ionic electrolytes)
  • Power density up to 69.2 kW/L
  • Rapid charging capability while maintaining cycle stability

“These are some of the best results ever recorded for carbon-based supercapacitors. Importantly, our process is scalable and compatible with local raw material supply,” emphasizes Dr. Petar Jovanović, co-author of the study.

From lab to market
The technology will not remain confined to scientific publications. Commercialization is being handled by Ionic Industries, a Monash University spin-off. The company is already producing commercial quantities of the new graphene material and collaborating with industry partners on its deployment.

“Our goal is to bring this innovation to market quickly—especially in applications where not only high capacity but also instant energy availability matters,” says Dr. Phillip Aitchison, CTO of Ionic Industries.

Why this is a breakthrough
Supercapacitors have long attracted attention from researchers and industry, but their limited energy storage capacity has hindered widespread adoption. The M-rGO developed at Monash University could change that, making supercapacitors a viable alternative to traditional batteries in many sectors—from electric vehicles to grid stabilization systems.

If commercialization succeeds, Australia could become one of the global leaders in the next generation of energy storage technology.

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