03-02-2015, 12:57 AM
Supercapacitors are often hailed as the holy grail of power supplies, but a group of researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a lithium-ion microbattery that leaves that prized solution in the dust, recharging 1,000 times faster than competing tech. Previous work done by Professor William P. King, who led the current effort, resulted in a fast-charging cathode with a 3D microstructure, and now the team has achieved a breakthrough by pairing it with an anode devised in a similar fashion. The resulting battery is said to be the most powerful in the world, avoiding the usual trade-off between longevity and power while having a footprint of just a few millimeters.
Tiny lithium-ion battery recharges 1000x faster than rival tech, could shrink mobile devices
The hardware is called Kraftwerk, after the german for "power station," rather than the pioneering electronica band of the same name. All a user has to do is squirt in a measure of lighter fuel or camping gas, and the company claims you'll be able to refill an iPhone 11 times over. eZelleron is making some big claims about the efficacy, efficiency and safety of its new product, saying that it'll be safe to stash in your pocket and will even be allowed into an aircraft cabin.