Northwestern University shows future battery tech

Engineers at Northwestern University are working on lithium-ion batteries that would recharge 10 times faster and hold a charge 10 times longer than current ones, the BBC reported. Among the changes, millions of tiny holes have been poked in the material. The method could result in a cellphone battery recharging from completely flat to full in just 15 minutes that would go on to last a week.

The team, headed up by Dr. Harold Kung, maintained that changing the density and movement of the lithium ions are important factors. This was done by using different materials to build the battery.

Sheets of silicon were replaced with tiny silicon clusters to bump up the amount of lithium ions a battery can hold. The recharge speed was boosted by using a chemical oxidation process that creates 20-40nm wide holes in the atom-thick sheets of graphene used in batteries.

One con of the technology is that the increases drop significantly after 150 recharge cycles. After this, however, the batteries are still five times more efficient today's batteries.

The team thus far concentrated on making improvements to anodes, but the team will now turn its attention to the cathode. The batteries could reach store shelves within five years, the scientists said.

By Electronista Staff