lithium-sulfur
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New lithium-sulfur battery could let phones last five days between charges
Lithium-sulfur batteries have been in the news for years, but a new design might be worth your notice. Monash University researchers have crafted what they claim is the most efficient lithium-sulfur battery to date. An appropriately-sized unit reportedly has enough of a charge to run your smartphone for five days, while a car-sized pack could theoretically keep an EV driving for more than 621 miles. It has a reduced environmental impact and an "extremely low-cost" manufacturing process, too.
Stanford develops safer lithium-sulfur batteries with four times the charge of lithium-ion cells
Longer battery life is high atop our list of gadget prayers, and the brainiacs at Stanford are one step closer to making our dreams come true with a new lithium-sulfur technology. Half of this trick lies in the silicon nanowire anode that the same team developed back in 2007, whereas the new cathode consists of a similarly commodious lithium sulfide nanostructure. Compared to present lithium-ion batteries, Stanford's design is "significantly safer" and currently achieves 80 percent more capacity, but it's nowhere near commercial launch with just 40 to 50 charge cycles (Li-ion does "300 to 500") due to the compound's rapid degradation. That said, we're promised a theoretical quadruple boost in capacity as the technology matures, so until then we'll keep that hamster running in our backpack.
