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Devices take on forms ranging in physical size from large scale computing devices, personal computers, handheld devices, embedded devices, remote sensors, and even into newly emerging nano-sized devices.

1. Description

2. Why

3. How

4. Future Trends

5. Related Links

Description 

For decades semiconductor technologies enabling many portable electronic devices have been rapidly advancing at very high rates, at times doubling every twelve to eighteen months. In the meantime, battery technology has been advancing at only 3% to 5% per year and reserve battery capabilities at an even slower rate.A breakthrough technology applied to the negative electrode uses new nano-particles to prevent organic liquid electrolytes from reducing during battery recharging. The nano-particles quickly absorb and store vast amount of lithium ions, without causing any deterioration in the electrode. 

Why

The applications of the proliferated devices have become more and more decision critical therefore there is a strong need for breakthrough technology to occur within battery technology.Nano-technology batteries with twice the power of regular lithium-polymer batteries. They can take rough abuse (can be shot clean through with a nail gun and not burst into flames - always a plus in my house) and can dump all their power in minutes.Few advantages of these new batteries include:

  • Excellent Recharge Performance
  • High Energy Density
  • Long Life Cycle
  • Temperature
  • Eco-friendly Battery

Devices containing semiconductor components requiring primary battery or battery back up needs have rapidly proliferated throughout every major national and global economic sector imaginable: transportation, health, defense, security, energy, environmental, and many others.

How

The physical and chemical properties of titanium dioxide offer an exciting spectrum of applications having the additional advantage of being biocompatible, environmentally friendly, and readily available. It is used as a white pigment in many products from toothpaste to wall paint.The crystallographic anatase form is of special interest because of its ability to store significant amounts of Li, which finds application as an anode in Li ion (nano)battery materials. The optical properties change upon Li insertion, this electrochromic effect being a starting point of displays and smart windows.The semiconductor properties also make it a suitable electrode in the conversion of light energy into electrical energy.

Technologies

The approach is to employ novel nanostructured superhydrophobic materials coupled with electrowetting phenomenon to create an architecture that allow to keep electrolyte and electrode separate from each other and yet to provide significant reduction in a dead volume in the battery.Power cells created by controlling wetting behavior of electrolyte on nanostructured electrode surfaces. 

  • Both electrodes of a battery are formed on the nanostructured silicon surfaces that are subsequently treated  to render them superhydrophobic.
  • Thus effectively separating liquid electrolyte from the active electrode material.
  • When battery is activated to provide power, a phenomenon called electrowetting promotes electrolyte penetration into the electrode space to initiate electrochemical reaction.

Such architecture provides for an extremely long shelf life, instantaneous ramp up to full power, and chemistry independent functionality. The proposed battery architecture belongs to the so-called reserve battery class.The main function of these batteries is to provide power when required while enduring prolonged storage periods (essentially, a battery may sit its entire life in reserve to be activated only for a brief period of time as a back-up power source).In order to be able to provide such a long shelf life, a traditional reserve battery normally has a mechanical separator to keep electrolyte away from the active electrode materials.Clearly this leads to reduced power density because inert filler materials, actuation mechanism and separators occupy significant part of the battery volume.

Future Trends

Many of the technology and product development initiatives that we have been working on for the last few years are now coming to the commercialization stage. Each step is another validation of our business strategy and product technology platform.mPhase Technologies along with its partner Lucent/Bell Labs, has been jointly conducting research over the past year that demonstrates control and manipulation of fluids on superhydrophobic surfaces to create power cells.Japanese company, JEOL, are claiming a world first with a small battery they say has twice the charge storage of a lead-acid battery and a similar capacity to nickel-hydrogen units.Altair's nanomaterial based, micro porous electrode technology has performance and stability advantages that appear to be unmatched when compared to the best commercialized technology in the market today.

Keywords

Battery, nanostructured, superhydrophobic, electrowetting, shelf life.

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