Researchers and Scientists at Stanford University in California invented a cheap, long-lasting and flexible battery made of aluminum for use in smartphones that can be charged in just one minute.
The new aluminum-ion battery has the potential to replace lithium-ion batteries, used in millions of laptops and mobile phones. It will not only charge faster but also the new aluminum battery is safer than existing lithium-ion batteries, which occasionally burst into flames.
Researchers were trying on that but failed to develop a battery made of aluminum, a lightweight and relatively inexpensive metal that has high charging capacity. But Hongjie Dai, a chemistry professor of Stanford University and his team made a breakthrough by accidentally discovering that graphite made a good partner to aluminum, Stanford said in a statement.
“Lithium-ion batteries can be a fire hazard,” said Dai. “Our new battery won’t catch fire, even if you drill through it.”
According to him, the new battery is also very durable and flexible. While lithium-ion batteries last about 1,000 cycles, the new aluminum battery was able to continue after more than 7,500 cycles without loss of capacity. It also can be bent or folded.
Larger aluminum batteries could also be used to store renewable energy on the electrical grid, Dai said
