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New battery tech that could let you talk for days
Standard lithium-ion batteries use graphite anodes that are capable of holding only a limited amount of charged lithium particles. The graphite anodes' limited capacity is chiefly responsible for the relatively brief charge life of lithium-ion batteries. Replacing the graphite anodes with silicon nanowires would increase the battery's charge storage capacity, Stanford researchers found.
A new technology using silicon nanowires boosts the ability of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to store a charge by as much as a factor of 10, according to research conducted at Stanford University. The findings are published in the December 2007 issue of Nature Nanotechnology.
The technology could significantly extend the running time of battery-powered devices such as digital cameras, iPods, mobile phones and notebook computers from a scant four hours up to a full day or an entire work week.
The achievement is not an incremental advancement for lithium-ion batteries but a revolutionary one, according to Yi Cui, assistant professor of materials science and engineering and lead researcher.
"If their claims are true, this could be a breakthrough technology," said Roger Kay, president, Endpoint Technologies Associates.
