A new type of battery has been developed, and its creators say it could revolutionize the way we power consumer electronics and cars.
The University of Illinois research team says they use 3D
The electrode enables it to make "micro-batteries" that are many times smaller than commercially available options, or the same size, and are many times more powerful.
It added that they can charge 1,000 times faster than their competitor's technology.
But security issues remain.
Details of the study are published in the journal Nature Communications.
Researchers say their innovation should help solve the problem that while smartphones and other gadgets benefit from micro-electronics, battery progress has not kept pace.
The battery has two parts-
Called electrode.
Where chemical reactions occur
To put it simply, the anode is an electrode, and when the battery is used as a power supply, electrons are released due to the oxidation process.
The cathode is the electrode on the other side of the battery, and the electrons flow to the electrode and are absorbed-
But the third element, the electrolyte, prevents them from traveling directly.
When the battery is plugged into the device, the electron can flow through its circuit from one electrode to the other.
Simultaneous ion-
Charged particles involved in the process of Anode Oxidation-
Be sure to pass through the electrolyte.
When they reach the cathode, they react with electrons passing through another route.
Scientists '"breakthroughs" include finding a new way to integrate the anode and cathode on a micro-scale.
Professor William King, the project leader, told the BBC: "The battery electrode has small fingers in contact with each other . ".
"There are really a few things about this.
Even if the overall battery is very small in size, it allows us to make the battery have a very high surface area.
"It makes the two halves of the battery very close so that ions and electrons do not flow far away.
"Because we reduce the flow distance between ions and electrons, we can release energy faster.
"The battery is manufactured by adapting to a process developed by another team at the university that aims to charge faster than lithium ion (Li-on)
And nickel metal hydrogen (NiMH)equivalents.
It consists of making a grid with tiny polystyrene spheres and then filling the inner and surrounding space of the structure with metal.
Then the ball is dissolved, leaving 3D-
Nickel on metal scaffolding-
A tin alloy is added to form an anode and a mineral called manganese hydroxide is added to form a cathode.
Finally, the glass surface attached to the device is immersed in a liquid heated to 300C (572F).
"Today, we made a small amount of these things in the boutique production process, but, although this is reliable and we can repeat, we need to be able to make a large amount of these things in a large area, "Professor Jin said.
"But in principle, our technology can be extended to electronics and cars.
"You can replace your car battery with our battery, it will be 10 times smaller or 10 times more powerful.
With this in mind, you can start a car with a battery in your phone.
"Other battery experts welcomed the team's efforts, but said it was difficult to bring the technology to market.
"The challenge is to make a micro-battery array that is strong enough, and through a process that can scale cheaply, there is no short circuit in the entire array, says Professor Claire Gray of the chemistry department at the University of Cambridge.
Peter Edwards, professor at Oxford University
Experts in inorganic chemistry and energy-
Doubt was also expressed.
"This is a very exciting development that shows that this innovation can achieve high power density," he said . ".
"The challenge is to expand this scale to the level of manufacturing;
Develop simpler manufacturing routes;
Solve security issues.
"I want to know if these miniature batteries will be easier for me.
Burning problems plagued by Lithium
The cobalt oxide battery we 've seen has become a concern for Boeing Dreamliner.
Professor Jin admitted that safety is a problem because the current electrolyte is a combustible liquid.
He said that only a small amount of liquid was used in the test equipment, and the risk of explosion was negligible --
But if it is expanded to a large size, the danger can become "significant ".
However, he added that he soon planned to switch to safer polymers --
The basic electrolyte to solve this problem.
Professor Kim added that he hopes to test the technology as a power source for electronic devices by the end of the year.
University of Illinois at Urbana
The champagne team is one of several groups trying to completely change the way we power gadgets.
Researchers in Texas are working on a battery that can be sprayed.
Engineers at Bedford county University are exploring the idea of using radio waves as an energy source.