NEW ENERGY STORAGE MEMBRANE POISED TO REVOLUTIONIZE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES

If you want a rechargeable battery in a power-hungry device today, the only real choice is a lithium-ion battery. They are heavy, quite large depending on how much charge you need, and volatile. They also have a high cost and limited life span.

A replacement for lithium-ion has long been sought after, and recently there have been some breakthroughs such as the jelly-like polymer battery. However, researchers at the National University of Singapore may have come up with the best solution yet in the form of an new energy storage membrane. Thought to be the first energy membrane ever created successfully, the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiative at the university has managed to attach the membrane to a polystyrene polymer. When placed between two graphite plates it can be charged and stores a charge. Already, the membrane is at an advantage as it is thin and flexible meaning there’s potential for a number of configurations. But where the real benefit comes in is how much energy it can store and at what cost.

A typical lithium-ion battery can store a charge of 1 microfarad per square centimeter. The energy membrane ups that to 0.2 farads. The membrane can also be easily mass produced at very low cost, meaning what we have here is a membrane that can store more energy and is cheaper to produce than existing battery technology. In real world terms the difference is quite staggering. A lithium-ion battery costs $7 to store one farad of charge. The energy membrane reduces that down to 62 cents.