It's about time we had a battery breakthrough, and researchers at Brown University say their plastic battery produces 100 times the power of today's alkaline cells. The technology combines the power surging capabilities of a capacitor with the storage characteristics of conventional batteries. The result is a battery that can be charged quickly but at the same time can deliver its energy over an extended period. It's versatile, too. Inventors Tayhas Palmore and Hyun-Kon Song explained how the composite material used to build the batteries is a virtual shape shifter. Said Palmore:
"You start thinking about this polymer and you start thinking that you can create batteries everywhere out of it. You could wrap cell phones in it or electronic devices. Conceivably, you could even make fabric out of this composite."
The next problem to be solved is the batteries' decreased storage capacity after they've been repeatedly recharged. No word on when the technology might find its way to market.
Brown Engineers Build a Better Battery - With Plastic [Brown University, via TechFreep]