Conventional electrochemical mechanisms for electrical energy storage face fundamental limitations in achieving ultra-high energy density and high-power output. These constraints arise from the intrinsic nature of the electrochemical processes themselves. Overcoming this challenge requires a paradigm shift—from electrochemical to quantum mechanisms of energy storage. As shown by theoretical models, this concept can be implemented in nanostructured materials consisting of clusters with tunnel-transparent shells. It is possible to build such a structure using supramolecular complexes and clathrate organization of matter. For this purpose, we synthesized a supramolecular clathrate with a hierarchical sub-host> architecture and investigated its conductive and polarization properties using impedance spectroscopy. As shown by the results of the research, in this structure it was possible to combine a high value of the dielectric permittivity with a dielectric loss tangent below unity in the ultra-low-frequency range. This was facilitated by the presumably specific energy structure of the clathrate, as evidenced by the measured spectra of thermally stimulated discharge currents. The ability of the clathrate to accumulate an electric charge is evidenced by the measured hysteresis current-voltage characteristic. The value of the specific capacitance of this clathrate reaches the value that arises from the theoretical model of a quantum supercapacitor.
Chabecki et al. (Fri,) studied this question.