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Researchers improve Li-on battery life, increase capacity 30 percent
Although's Moore's Law continues to race along, battery tech hasn't nearly kept up pace -- so we're excited by developments like the one just announced by Argonne National Labs, which has managed to increase Li-on capacity by 30 percent while making the batteries safer and longer-lasting. The secret ingredients in Argonne's new juice box are a new composite battery material that's partially electrically inactive and manganese oxide-based electrodes in place of the traditional cobalt oxide. Argonne says it's already licensed the tech to Japanese manufacturer Toda Kogyo, which has the capability to produce 30 million laptop batteries a year, but the lab is still working on improving charging rates -- while it's adequate for laptops and cellphones, the battery will need to discharge at least three times faster to work in a car. No word on when we might see these start shipping, but you can bet "manganese battery" is being added to our dream machine spec list right... now.[Via ExtremeTech]
LG confirms that its laptop batteries are safe
Although laptop batteries aren't catching fire nearly as frequently lately, every now and again one still seems to spark off -- but LG wants you to know that its batteries are safe. The Korean mega-conglomerate said that it's wrapped up an investigation into reports that surfaced last month about an LG-sourced battery exploding in a reporter's laptop, and that it was apparently a freak accident. According to LG, "Under normal conditions, it is not possible for a notebook PC battery to combust." Uh, sure it's not, guys -- you keep telling yourselves that, and we'll keep blogging in these goggles and red Nomex capes. Deal?
