Korean scientist engineers super batteries
By Chris Gaylord | 11.13.08
Computer features constantly make leaps and bounds. Laptop sizes shrink. Processing speeds double. Hard-disk capacities triple. So how come we never hear about significant strides in battery life?
The truth is, the batteries that come with portable PCs nowadays are huge improvements over their predecessors. But these gains are often invisible. Every time batteries offer up more juice, the laptop’s flashy new features start guzzling power faster than ever. In the end: net zero.
However, a battery breakthrough in South Korea has gadget designers excited. Researchers claim to have discovered a way to boost energy efficiency in lithium batteries by 90 percent.
This new method replaces the graphite that’s usually found in lithium batteries with special silicon particles. “Scientists had already known about silicon as a prospective material to make re-chargeable batteries,” according to a press release from Seoul, “but had made no breakthroughs previously because silicon tends to expand when in contact with lithium.” The team overcame this problem by crafting “three-dimensional porous silicon particles made of silica and hydrogen fluoride.”
Group leader Cho Jae-phil says that, with more research, they could extend the battery lives of laptops and cellphones by eight times their current limit.
Imagine, BlackBerrys that go for weeks before needing to recharge – or, gadgets with eight times the battery-draining features. Mr. Cho says these silicon-lithium batteries could hit mass production in four to five year. His team is already investigating ways to integrate the energy-efficient technology with solar panels.
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3. James M. Essig | 11.14.08
A really cool development!
One can imagine eventually using batteries with simmilar mass specific energy storage density in electric cars, perhaps in plug in hybrid cars that use regenerative breaking.
If the energy storage density of batteries ever approaches that of the mass specific energy density of gasoline, fuels for prop driven aircraft, etc, we may yet see electric prop driven aircraft and electric helicoptors, although I won’t hold my breath on such occuring any time soon. But if such vehicles could be developed, I would imagine that they could be made to operate very quietly compared to current prop driven aircraft.
Anyhow, a cell phone that needs recharging only 1 x/month; I will happily go for that.
4. ken kessel | 11.17.08
in”anne korin’s oil solution” seen on u tube,she suggest very clearly that a plug in hybrid with a larger battry and a flexi fuel engine,able to use gasoline,coal based methanol or corn or cellulose based ethanol could get us out and keep us out of the middle east. imagine being able to thumb our collective noses at opec. imagine the u.s.a. not having to actally help to fund islamic terrorism. the development of this technolgy has far greater implications than it might first appear.
5. Denitsa | 11.18.08
Awesome!!! That is great news.
Yeah, thinking about cars is awesome, hopefully that would be the boost electrical cars need to become really popular.
But in my case, I think laptop. I hate how my laptop, less than a year old, dies only after an hour of light use and after like 30 minutes of hard use (which in my case will mean calculations). It sucks! Although 90% isn’t that much, it is much better than now! I can’t wait to get one of those batteries. Maybe it won’t happen to this laptop, but hopefully for the next one they will be working!
6. m lubeck | 12.12.08
Nice to see a project that works; but will it ever go into effect? Most advances are bought up and held off so petro can make more money… not a skeptic but will our good intentions be allowed to go forward.I think not. Ken Kessel thank you for your small u.s.a. it was nice to review your comments. Quite Right in your thinking as well! peace-love.mhl
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1. Jeremy Dooley | 11.14.08
Forget gadget life. Think Cars.