Researchers based in the United States have developed new battery technology that can be charged more than a hundred thousand times without showing any signs of wear.
One of the biggest gripes we have when dealing with our electronic devices is that their batteries need to charged constantly, and eventually replaced after a year or two. Well, thanks to researchers at the University of California this could all become a thing of the past.
The team have developed a battery that is made using “gold nanowires coated in a manganese dioxide shell, and set in an electrolyte made of a Plexiglas-like gel.”
Without getting too technical, the reason for batteries deteriorating is that their nanowires become brittle after extended use. But these new gold-coated nanowires remain intact even after extreme testing. To put it onto perspective, during testing the new battery withstood 200,000 charges over a period of three months, whereas a battery commonly found on the market today will die after between 6,000 and 8,000 charges.
This new battery technology has the potential to be used in smartphones, tablets, electric cars and even space craft. These new batteries will not only benefit the average tech user, but could also benefit the environment by cutting back on battery-related waste products.
