Batteries

A new type of experimental proton battery is built with entirely organic components, making it much more environmentally friendly than most. On top of that, it can also be charged in a matter of minutes and can function at very low temperatures.

Scientists tinkering with the design of lithium-ion batteries have come up with a new electrolyte they say can offer greater safety and an ability to operate at higher voltages, promising smartphones and electric vehicles with longer run times.

At 50 percent smaller by volume than a typical lithium-ion battery, Samsung's prototype solid-state pouch cells could enable 500-mile electric car ranges and cycle lives over 1,000 charges in a much safer package.

Battery researchers place a lot of focus on making the devices safer, and scientists are reporting a promising advance in this area with a new safety feature that acts as a “spillway” to stem the flow of electrons during a failure.

Scientists in Singapore are reporting a new type of semi-solid electrolyte that shores up the safety of a lithium-sulfur batteries, which hold huge, untapped potential when it comes to energy storage.

EV batteries have improved, but their limited ability to store energy still keeps many people from giving up their gas-burning cars. That may be about to change, as a new anode material is said to offer a whopping four-fold increase in capacity.

A new ultrasound device developed at US San Diego offers a solution to a key roadblock when it comes to lithium metal batteries, by using sound waves as a way of preventing dangerous growths that cause them to catch fire and fail.

Toyota is continuing its big push into the electric mobility space, enlisting the expertise of Panasonic to help develop advanced batteries for electric vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions through the Prime Planet Energy & Solutions joint venture.

In a quest for safer lithium-ion batteries, a team of engineers at the University of Illinois have come up with a solid polymer-based electrolyte that can not only heal itself but is recyclable without the need for high temperatures or strong acids.

IBM has this week unveiled a new battery that relies on materials from seawater instead of heavy metals, with its early testing suggesting these components mightn't mean a compromise in performance, either.

A new student-led research program has been launched at the UK's University of Southampton with the aim of finding ways to improve the efficiency and extend the battery life of unmanned aviation vehicles used to monitor remote locations.

Many people don't like the limited range of EVs. If their batteries could be recharged quicker, though, that range might not be so off-putting. That's where GBatteries' new tech comes in – it may one day be capable of recharging an EV within minutes.