On the outskirts of Graz University of Technology, located in Austria, a team of scientists are quietly developing the next generation of battery technology. Stefan Koller, one of the researchers involved with the project, wears protective gloves to operate on a Lithium-ion battery behind a protective plexiglass window. He hopes the work completed today will be used to improve the performance of automotive, cellphone, and laptop batteries of the near future.
According to Koller, the research and development of batteries has been ignored for too long. “A real revolution is needed for the development of the next generation. We need new storage materials for lithium-ion batteries”, says Koller. This is also the subject of his upcoming doctoral thesis.
Koller and other researchers at University of Technology believe the answer to improved laptop battery power could be in a new storage material that improves the energy density of existing lithium-ion batteries. What makes Koller’s solution even more realistic from a commercial standpoint is that its also affordable.
The secret is silicon gel on graphite. Koller explains how it works, “In this way the graphite works as a buffer, cushioning the big changes in volume of the silicon during the uptake and transfer of lithium ions.”
Koller’s project is still in research stage, but he is hopeful of the affects it could have on the industry. Initial testing shows that storage capacity could be improved by ten times. With results like this laptop users could no longer resent long airplane flights or extended cross-country trips.
A patent on this innovation has already been submitted, although its unlikely you’ll be able to take advantage of this research for quite some time. Hootoo.com will continue to keep you updated with news about this developing technology.