Startup SolidEnergy's tech to be used in Project Ara, could increase your smartphones battery life.
Researchers have developed a new kind of lithium-ion battery could potentially double battery life of your smartphones and wearable gadgets.
The battery is developed by startup SolidEnergy, a company spun out of MIT in 2012. Solid Energy says it has built a special lithium-ion battery that can increase the amount of energy density it can hold to double the amount of a current lithium battery. The company's tech swaps graphite—for a thin sheet of lithium-metal foil, which can store more lithium ions.
The company has created a special electrolyte, that can operate at room temperature preventing the battery from catching fire. The electrolyte is non-flammable, and has additives to check dendrite formation. The advanced battery tech could double the battery life in mobile devices, and could even shrink the battery to make even slimmer smartphones.
According to a report, Google's Project Ara will be using the technology in its battery modules. The company has also hinted that other major smartphone makers like Apple have already contacted it regarding these technologies. “Think of the largest phone makers out there,” Solid Energy founder and CEO Qichao Hu. “They approached us.”
Qichao Hu was quoted as saying, “Our battery basically makes the Project Ara phone more practical. Right now, one of the major challenges with this phone is that the battery life is too short.”
The company will start testing the battery by this year end and plans to release its first batteries for portable electronics by 2016. The company is also planning to roll out models for electric cars the following year.
Source: MIT
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Silky Malhotra
Silky Malhotra loves learning about new technology, gadgets, and more. When she isn’t writing, she is usually found reading, watching Netflix, gardening, travelling, or trying out new cuisines. View Full Profile
