Supercapacitors: Merging Eastern Romance with Modern Tech
Recently, "Nezha 2" has sparked a new wave of enthusiasm for Chinese animation. In scenes blending traditional ink painting with cyberpunk aesthetics, young Nezha rides his Wind Fire Wheels through the clouds, a moment that has left countless viewers exclaiming, "It's electrifying!" But did you know that in the real-world electronic realm, Chinese researchers are interpreting the myth of "electrokinesis" in another way? They've developed supercapacitors capable of charging smartphones in seconds and enabling new energy vehicles to "teleport"—a testament to China's technological prowess.
Charging Speed 100 Times Faster Than Lithium Batteries?
Nezha's Wind Fire Wheels accelerate instantly without fuel, drawing energy from the universe. Supercapacitors possess a similarly futuristic ability: they absorb charges like a sponge, allowing them to charge 100 times faster than lithium batteries. Last year, Tesla's 4680 battery charged in 15 minutes to run 250 kilometers, a feat that astonished many. Meanwhile, CRRC Corporation's trams equipped with supercapacitors can accelerate 5 kilometers after just 30 seconds of charging at a station. Just as the "Nezha 2" team used over 2,000 special effects shots to reimagine a classic IP, CRRC's engineers are weaving a technological legend of this era within the nano-scale pores of activated carbon.
In laboratories in Zhangjiang, Pudong, scientists are tackling third-generation supercapacitor technology. Through electron microscopes, the wrinkled surfaces of carbon materials resemble the "Map of Mountains and Rivers" unfolded by Taiyi Zhenren in the movies. Each square centimeter contains microscopic structures equivalent to 50 football fields. These invisible "three-dimensional mazes" endow supercapacitors with the energy storage capacity of "embracing all rivers."
This blend of Eastern romanticism and technological narrative has already integrated into our daily lives. At intelligent bus stations in Shanghai Lingang, new energy buses equipped with supercapacitors subtly perform a real-life version of "electrokinesis": during passenger boarding and alighting, the roof's pantograph and charging pile exchange energy in a fleeting moment, akin to Nezha's Wind Fire Wheels absorbing the essence of heaven and earth through the clouds. In the lunar exploration project, supercapacitors have transformed into modern "the Universe Ring," escorting the Chang'e probe to land steadily in the extreme temperature environment of the moon's surface. These poetic technological breakthroughs, mirrored by the swirling ink particles on the screen, collectively outline the twin totems of Chinese ingenuity.
The Investiture of the Gods：Supercapacitors vs. Lithium Batteries
Interestingly, the futuristic energy networks in "Nezha 2" align with current innovations in the new energy sector. Tesla's 4680 battery and supercapacitor hybrid energy storage solutions, along with CATL's condensed-state battery technology, are constructing the "Spirit Pearl System" in the real world.
Much like the movie's depiction of The Primeval Lord of Heaven (Yuan Shi Tian Zun) splitting the Spirit Pearl into Lingzhu and Demon Pill, scientists are exploring the synergy between different energy storage technologies. These two technologies resemble the relationship between Ne zha and Ao Bing: lithium batteries are like Ao Bing, originating from the orthodox (chemical energy storage) but bearing the risk of thermal runaway; supercapacitors are like Ne zha, seemingly unconventional (physical energy storage) yet safe and reliable. When this "lotus Bing CP" teams up, they might truly rewrite the technological pantheon of electronic components.
As we shed tears in the cinema for Nezha breaking free from destiny's shackles, the team at the Suzhou Institute of Nanotechnology is testing woven supercapacitor fibers. These flexible energy storage materials, sewn into clothing, make "charging" as natural and casual as adjusting a sleeve. Perhaps in the near future, we can, like mythological figures, complete energy conversion with a mere gesture—this is, after all, a love letter from modern technology to ancient legends.
From the return of the Monkey King to Nezha's rebirth, from supercomputers to quantum communication, Chinese stories are rejuvenating in the double helix of technology and culture. Behind those nights spent adjusting parameters in laboratories and early mornings refining storyboards in studios are the same dreamers writing legends in different dimensions. Behind those world-changing technological achievements are countless researchers running the relay of "turning myths into reality."
Next time you experience the acceleration in a new energy vehicle or see the battery percentage jump during a quick charge, remember how much of China's scientific community's "I'm the master of my destiny" is hidden within these modern "artifacts"—a blend of the indomitable spirit from myth and the courage to lead in the technological wave. Just as the Wind Fire Wheels carry Nezha's determination to defy the heavens, these seemingly cold electronic components also boil with the blood and craftsmanship of Chinese ingenuity.
