Zinc Matrix Power unveils silver-zinc battery to trump li-ion

We've been overdue for a lithium-ion successor since forever, and we can't deny the urgency has been bumped a notch by the recent spat of battery explosions. Of course, many have pretended to the throne, but newcomer Zinc Matrix Power thinks their new silver-zinc battery packs really have a shot. They just unveiled the tech at the Intel Developers Forum, and they claim their batteries are safer, longer lasting and more environmentally friendly than those lithium-ion clunkers. As much as we treasure our lap in an intact form -- which silver-zinc provides for due to a safer "inherent chemistry" of silver, zinc and water -- we're especially happy to hear of the "significant" performance gains over lithium-ion, because if there's anything we hate worse than shrapnel in the upper thigh, it's running out of battery mid-way through a high-scoring game of Snood on a cross-country flight. We suppose easy recycling wouldn't suck either. Zinc Matrix says they'll have the new power cells in the hands of device manufacturers for evaluation in early '07, so hopefully we won't have too long of a wait.

[Via Tech Digest]

[James @ Sep 28th 2006 12:50PM]

I can't see how big that cell is in the picture, but 10 amps is excellent!

[Joe Brewer @ Sep 28th 2006 1:16PM]

10 ampere-hours?? Is that label correct? If so, where can I buy a case?

[lindezap @ Sep 28th 2006 1:32PM]

Remember it is 10 aH by 1.6 volt. Lithium-Ion is 3.7 V so to compare you have to divide by roughly 2.3. Still impresive though !!

[Matt @ Sep 28th 2006 1:27PM]

10Ah is the first thing I thought too!

I found this PDF which gives you some more details about the size of the cell and some other info like DVD playback time etc compared to LiIon (5.75hrs vs 2.5!):

http://www.zmp.com/images/ZMP-IDF_Handout2(web).pdf

We need a car with these in!

[Chris H @ Sep 28th 2006 3:28PM]

Doubling battery life on your phone, DAP, or laptop is nice, but doubling the range on your electric car could be even nicer!

[Kris @ Sep 28th 2006 3:33PM]

Equivilent to a 1.3AH 12V battery ... Obviously real good if it's as small as it looks.

[Zeus @ Sep 28th 2006 4:24PM]

Silver? Would using a precious metal increase the cost of the battery or is the amount of silver used negligible in the grander scheme of things?

[Miguel @ Sep 28th 2006 5:02PM]

Is that in a bag? Fantastic; can I get an adapter for a battery-style "brick"?

[srw @ Sep 28th 2006 6:32PM]

Lots more info from the company's website:
http://www.zmp.com/tech.html
They are apparently developing batteries with even higher energy densities.

[Simon @ Sep 29th 2006 4:16AM]

Please, dear god of electronics, let this be true and ripen into a real product. Please, mighty ruler over electrons, make this happen. Amen.

[Mike @ Sep 29th 2006 11:29AM]

Finally!, a solution to what seemed the never ending battery problem and their inefficiency at holding power!, i wonder how long these things will last, and is there a limitation on (electrical)size?....Can't wait!

[Copperhead @ Sep 29th 2006 11:27AM]

Blah blah blah.

What's the blast radius of these new batteries?

[Murc @ Sep 30th 2006 1:18PM]

better batteries are soo soo very needed.

Virtually all electronics use Li-ion...Its time for something better.

[Liju.G.Chacko @ Feb 10th 2008 7:34AM]

Electrodes that could be attacked by nascent oxygen and nasent hydrogen (during charging) can be used to make such a cell.Here ZnO could be reduced by [H]and Ag can be oxidised by [O] during charging.During discharging they come back to there orginal state(to ZnO & Ag).But the whole system should be isolated from air. Zn canbe replaced by Fe and Ag2O can be replaced by MnO2.Using these substitutes we can reduce cost

[LE GOUVELLO @ Jun 16th 2008 2:05AM]

I am working on electric cars in FRANCE.

Please, could tell me more about your technology of cells Zinc-Argent.
* the capacity.
* the weight of each cells.
* all informations.

Thank a lot

Best regards
LE GOUVELLO Philippe
SA MOURET
16 Rue AMPERE
91430 IGNY
FRANCE
[e-mail]