Revolution in the battery market: Flexible hydrogel battery sets new standards!

Revolution in the battery market: Flexible hydrogel battery sets new standards!

researchers at the University of California in Berkeley have made a pioneering progress in the area of ​​energy storage: they developed a flexible hydrogel battery that is not only stretchy and flexible, but also remains insensitive to external damage. According to Oe24 this innovative battery can be bent and even stung without losing its functionality. The security and stability of the new battery exceeds conventional lithium-ion batteries, which can often be dangerous in damage.

In addition, this hydrogel battery has an exceptionally long service life and lasts up to 500 charging cycles, which is twice as long as with current models. However, the current performance of the battery is only about a tenth compared to conventional batteries, which means that it is mainly suitable for portable devices such as smartwatches. Researchers hope that these equipment could also be used in smartphones and other electronic devices in the near future.

technological background

The challenges in the development of flexible batteries are diverse. As described in ARS Technica need traditional lithium-ion batteries, sealed housing to avoid damage and air contact. However, this construction is impractical for use in soft robots or portable devices. The new hydrogel technology could help here by increasing flexibility and security.

Earlier flexible batteries that worked with hydrogel electrolytes had significant restrictions, such as a very short operating congestion. Thanks to new chemical compositions, including highly concentrated salt water with fluorinated lithium salts, the researchers have improved the stability of their electrolytes. However, the use of fluorinated lithium salts raises concerns about human security.

new approaches in battery technology

The innovative liquid battery is characterized by a stretching of up to the double of its length and can also survive more than 500 charging cycles. While the current voltage of 0.9 volts is insufficient for many applications, the researchers are working on increasing the tension through chemical changes, including by using zinc or manganese.

These progress show that the future of energy technology could not only be more flexible, but also more sustainable. With more than a trillion networked devices that are expected in the next ten years, such developments are decisive for the integration of battery systems in various applications, be it portable medical devices or smart textiles.