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In an ideal world, a smartphone battery is expected to last an entire day, not degrade over time, and more importantly have no risk of exploding. Researchers at the University of Maryland in collaboration with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, and the Institute of Standards and Technology, have developed water- and zinc-based (aqueous zinc) battery that promises to meet all the above mentioned criteria, which current lithium-ion batteries fail to meet. Researchers also believe that this promising technology could be leveraged in consumer electronics in the not so distant future.
The combination of zinc and water is very effective in eliminating safety issues, which lithium-ion batteries (commonly used in phones and laptops) possess. For instance, in 2016 many cases were reported where the (lithium-ion) batteries used in a smartphone exploded causing injury to many users. This led to a massive recall, costing the company billions in damages. Besides ensuring safety, zinc and water-based batteries have a better lifespan and hold charge for longer periods as compared to lithium-ion batteries.
While zinc batteries may have been a safe and cheap electrical energy storage option in the past, it suffered from limited life cycle and low energy density. On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries despite its effectiveness in these two areas, presents a potential safety hazard. “Aqueous Zinc-based batteries combine the best features of both zinc and lithium-ion batteries,” says Fei Wang, post-doctoral associate at the University of Maryland and the Army Research Laboratory.
While water-based batteries are crucial to preventing fires in electronic equipment, its energy storage and capacity has been limited. However, water and zinc-based batteries are capable of competing with lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy density, without any safety issues. Besides commercial use, researchers at the University of Maryland believe that this new battery can also be used in extreme temperature and pressure conditions to improve the performance of vehicles used in aerospace industry, military, and deep ocean environments.
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