Lithium ion batteries may be the power source of the present, but what about the future? With scientists and tech companies constantly searching for more dynamic and efficient energy sources, several innovative solutions are in the works:
- Wi-Fi antennas—Researchers have developed what they call a rectenna, a radio wave harvesting antenna that can pull energy from Wi-Fi as AC energy and convert it into usable DC power. This antenna, only a few atoms thick, is thin and flexible and can potentially be applied to a wide range of technology, including mobile devices and wearables.
- Laser-made micro supercapacitors—Scientists at Rice University made a breakthrough with this cost-cutting adaptation by burning electrode patterns into sheets of plastic, decreasing costs and time spent and resulting in a power source that can charge up to 50 times faster than batteries being used today.
- Phosphorene nanoribbons—University College London researchers have created tiny, individual ribbons made of crystalline phosphorus. These nanoribbons are extremely flexible, can be produced cheaply and can be used as semi-conductors to advance batteries, solar cells and energy storage, among other technologies.
Paper-polymer batteries—These environmentally friendly, inexpensive and extremely thin batteries are made largely of cellulose, the major ingredient found in paper. Being non-corrosive in nature, they don’t require heavy-duty shells and are extremely flexible, resulting in fuel cells and energy storage being designed smaller and lighter.
