Quest to extend smartphones' stamina
This is because the essential electrochemical process inside a battery hasn't changed much in more than a century. Until now.
Pressure from smartphone users wanting their devices to last longer between charges is helping generate a lot of battery research in labs around the world.
Transferring a current repeatedly through electrodes as a battery charges and discharges degrades the electrodes and shortens the battery's life.
Now a University of Southern California team is looking for better electrodes. It is experimenting with silicon nanoparticles to help the current move more smoothly. Nanoscale "wires" transfer current faster, promising a full charge in 10 minutes and up to three times as much energy.
"It opens the door for the design of the next generation lithium-ion batteries," USC professor Chongwu Zhou said.
While the lithium that makes up the standard of current battery technology is expensive and heavy, sodium - a related element - is found everywhere from table salt to sea water. So Michigan Technological University associate professor Reza Shahbazian-Yassar is using an electron telescope to better work out the chemistry of a flat battery and build a better model using the much more plentiful material.
"With better understanding on why batteries become dead, we hope to help battery developers," Professor Shahbazian-Yassar said. "We're studying fundamental reactions to find out what materials and electrodes will do a better job hosting the sodium."
Silicon and sodium aren't the only materials being investigated. Zinc-air batteries were theorised in the 1930s and used by the US military in the 1960s. But research into lithium-air might mean that, instead of an enclosed battery, there could be one in which electrodes gather electrons from oxygen outside to produce a current. Early tests from engineering and chemistry departments in Seoul and Rome have been encouraging, with no real difference in performance between the 20th and 100th charge cycle.
The study's authors are particularly interested in the electric car market, saying "owing to its exceptionally high energy potentiality, the lithium-air battery is a very appealing candidate for fulfilling this role".
But with a whopping 13,500Wh/kg - up to 10 times the capacity of today's lithium batteries - imagine what it could do for your handset.
Another possible solution is simply cramming more lithium ions into the battery cell and moving them around faster to generate electricity for a longer charge and faster recharge.
Northwestern University electrochemistry professor Dr Harold Kung is working on nano-scale holes through the battery that could let the electrochemical molecules move more freely.
But, he said, most researchers were working with a single element of a part that had to work in a much bigger system. "Our long-term tests were conducted for the individual component only. We need to get reliable test results in full battery configuration and usage conditions, which takes time," Professor Kung said.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Researchers are testing several approaches highlighted in the article: silicon nanoparticles to speed electron flow, sodium-based chemistries as a cheaper, more abundant alternative to lithium, zinc-air and lithium-air concepts that use oxygen from the air, and nano-scale structural changes (like holes) to help ions move faster. Each aims to boost energy density, speed up charging or improve longevity.
A University of Southern California team is experimenting with silicon nanoparticles and nanoscale 'wires' that transfer current more smoothly. According to the researchers, that approach could potentially enable much faster charging (a full charge in about 10 minutes) and store up to three times as much energy—though those results are still at the research stage.
Sodium is far more abundant and cheaper than lithium, appearing everywhere from table salt to seawater. Michigan Technological University researchers are using electron microscopes to study how sodium behaves in flat battery designs so they can model better materials and electrodes—work that could lead to lower-cost, widely available battery options if the chemistry proves practical.
Lithium-air and zinc-air concepts let electrodes gather oxygen from outside the battery to create current, offering much higher theoretical energy potential. The article notes lithium-air could reach about 13,500 Wh/kg—roughly ten times today's lithium-ion energy density—making it an attractive candidate for electric vehicles and potentially transformative for handset runtimes if engineering challenges are resolved.
Not immediately. While lab results are promising, researchers warn there’s a gap between component-level breakthroughs and reliable full battery systems. Long-term, real-world testing in complete battery configurations is needed, and that process can take significant time before commercial products arrive.
Key challenges include electrode degradation from repeated charge cycles, finding materials and electrode designs that reliably host different ions (like sodium), ensuring nano-scale modifications work in full battery assemblies, and conducting long-term tests that reflect everyday usage rather than isolated component trials.
Investors should monitor milestones such as reproducible lab-to-pilot scale demonstrations, successful full-cell and long-term cycle testing, patent filings and partnerships that signal commercialisation, and demand drivers like electric vehicle uptake. These indicators help show whether promising research is moving toward market-ready products.
Improved batteries could deliver longer handset runtimes, much faster recharging and lighter devices, while significantly extending electric vehicle range or reducing weight. The article specifically notes researchers are interested in the electric car market because high energy-potential technologies like lithium-air could be especially impactful there.
Call 1300 880 160
Start a chat
Schedule a call
