Samsung researchers almost double the life of smartphone batteries

Research published in Nature and funded by Samsung outlined lithium-ion technology that could supply nearly double the battery life of conventional batteries. Li-on batteries power mobile devices, like Samsung's Galaxy smartphones, so we might soon be owning a handset with a substantially better charge.

These next generation li-on batteries combine silicon and graphene, surrounding anodes of the former with a layer of graphene. Anodes are the structures in li-on batteries that store the electrically charged lithium ions. Typically, most li-on anodes are made out of graphite, but silicon can hold a charge ten times better. This is exactly why the anodes in the experimental batteries were made out of silicon.

Graphene was then layered on top of the silicon anodes, creating a battery denser than previous experimental batteries and far denser than batteries in current consumer electronics. If you want a good battery, density is key, and graphene -- although a million times thinner than paper -- is so dense that not even a single helium atom can penetrate it. 

 

The novel design resulted in 1.5 to 1.8 times longer charge than presently available li-on batteries. This means a handset that lasts 10 hours could technically last up to 18 hours with the technology. Li-on batteries are also found in laptops and the newest electric cars -- so the research could have implications for more than mobile computing. But guess what, it could take years before Samsung incorporates this technology into their products, though we can always hope.