Rapid Recharging

In the quest for appreciably longer battery life (which has proven to be somewhat elusive), the next best thing is a faster recharge cycle. Now, engineers have found a way to create ultra-fast charging batteries using a technology that was originally discovered during a research project on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

The same peptide molecule that gives AD displays the ability to hold electrons in place – a trait known as “charge trapping” – can be artificially synthesized from natural building blocks such as hydrogen and oxygen to produce crystals about two nanometers long. Called NanoDots, the tiny crystals fill in the cavities that are typically present in the electrodes of standard batteries, increasing their capacity by up to ten times. More importantly, they create a capacitive buffer that is capable of storing electrical current from a charging system in about 30 seconds, and then letting it flow slowly into the battery. As a result, not only are recharge times drastically reduced, but overall life is improved by changing the chemical reactions that occur inside the battery.

The new technology can also be used to replace many of the toxic materials used in today’s displays while making them more energy efficient and creating a richer, more colorful matrix.