The collaboration between Italian supercar manufacturer Automobili Lamborghini and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has produced an important preliminary result: an innovative synthetic material (patent applied for) A generation of supercapacitors laid the technical foundation. Three years ago, Lamborghini joined the MIT-Italy project, and further launched two collaborative research projects in 2017, one in collaboration with Professor Mircea Dinc of the MIT Department of Chemistry, and one in collaboration with Professor John Anastasios Hart of the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering .
Lamborghini is the co-author of the patent, and the two parties will further study and explore in order to further optimize the performance of the material and achieve larger-scale mass production. More broadly, the research results are part of Lamborghini ’s plan to transition to electric vehicle technology. In 2017, as Lamborghini launched the pure electric supercar Terzo Millennio, the electric vehicle technology transformation plan officially began, and recently, Lamborghini launched the first hybrid super sports car Sián at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show (Frankfurt Motor Show).
The patent and cooperation with the MIT Department of Chemistry
The new patented material was synthesized in the laboratory by the MIT Department of Chemistry Mircea Dinc team, supported by the Lamborghini Concept R & D department. The material is based on the concept of "Metal Organic Framework" (MOF). The molecular structure of this series of materials makes it an ideal candidate material for future high-performance supercapacitor electrodes, because it can maximize the specific surface area, which is related to the mass and volume of the sample and the size of the surface area exposed to the charge. More specifically, the goal of this research is to increase the energy density. Compared with the technology on the market, the patented material is expected to increase the energy density by 100%.
The research team first studied the possibility that the new technology could double the capacity. The current patent application is the result of two years of work by the research team, which is a major improvement. (Already in the forefront of traditional technology) Compared with this material, this material has greater potential to make supercapacitors with stronger performance.
Because of their excellent power and durability, supercapacitors have successfully become solutions for high-performance racing applications. And, thanks to Lamborghini, supercapacitors are expected to become an indispensable technology in the next few years.
Cooperation with MIT Mechanical Engineering Department
The second three-year cooperation project is in collaboration with the team of Professor John Anastasios Hart of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT to create new design principles for high-performance battery materials that can be integrated into vehicle structures. The project will produce battery prototypes. Such batteries will take into account energy storage performance, geometric versatility and structural integrity. This is crucial to whether Lamborghini Terzo Millennio can achieve the set performance goals.
Cooperation with the MIT-Italy project
While working with the laboratory, Lamborghini also collaborated with the MIT-Italy project to give two MIT students the opportunity to gain work experience at Lamborghini. The two students are committed to developing specifications for the composite material and creating supercapacitors Mathematical model of electrical conductivity. In view of the results obtained, Lamborghini decided to extend its cooperation with the MIT-Italy project until the end of next year.