Next-gen batteries to power the future

In a world where we cannot go a single day without charging our phone, smartwatch, or TWS, the thought of using our devices without charging for days, weeks, or even months feels nothing short of a far-fetched dream.

But this dream of having uninterrupted power might not be as far-fetched as it might seem.

Innovations in next-generation battery development are changing the industry fast, and this might soon make frequent charging of your devices a thing of the past.

What level of convenience you can get, though, will depend on the specific type of battery your device will be using. However, as things stand, the prototypes seem quite promising.

Nuclear battery

A Chinese startup, Betavolt New Energy Technology, has developed a modular nuclear battery that can power a device for, not weeks or months, but nearly half a century without needing any recharge or maintenance. This 50-year-lasting battery is a type of betavoltaic battery that harnesses the beta (β) particle emitting properties of radioactive elements.

The radioactive isotope, 63Ni in this case, emits beta particles which are high-velocity, high-energy electrons or positrons. Upon release, the diamond layer works like a semiconductor and uses the emitting beta particles to generate electric current.

Even though it seems like a fancy, new technology, this type of betavoltaic battery has been around since the 1950s in the form of radioisotope thermoelectric generators. They have been used in space exploration, maritime research, and other advanced fields for decades.

However, since RTGs used heat from radioactive isotopes to produce electricity, they were not suitable for consumer-grade in-home applications. But the newer Nuclear Diamond Battery or Nano Diamond Battery of the Betavoltaic class generates electricity using the beta particles rather than storing it in the form of chemical reactions.

Betavolt's new BV100 battery, already in pilot production, can generate 100 microwatts at 3V within a compact dimension of 15x15x5 mm and is expected to hit mass production soon. This type of battery could one day replace the lithium batteries in our phones which are highly explosive and flammable.

A bigger 1-watt version is also expected to be released in 2025 with energy density rated 10 times that of the lithium batteries in our phones. Once implemented, these batteries will last the lifetime of the device itself, without needing any recharge or maintenance.

Solid-state battery

Besides the R&D on the active materials for positive-negative, the electrolyte itself is getting a makeover, giving us a new class of power source — solid-state batteries.

While in lithium-ion batteries, the ion moves from one end to the other through a liquid electrolyte, in solid-state batteries, the electrolyte solution is replaced by a solid compound.

French battery manufacturer Saft's research and development team is already working on employing polymers and inorganic material to achieve synergy of the physico-chemical properties like conductivity, processability, and stability.

Once employed, the solid-state batteries will ensure thermal safety as the solid electrolyte built is a much safer alternative to the flammable lithium-ion batteries.

Besides, these batteries will allow for high-capacity, high-voltage use with much better shelf life, making them the perfect energy solution for the future of personal and mass transportation, i.e., electric vehicles.

Lithium-sulphur battery

Lithium-sulphur batteries are also expected to hit the market soon.

Unlike lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulphur batteries do not require a host structure. During discharge, the negative anode is consumed and the sulphur is transformed into a variety of chemical materials.

During recharge, the process is reversed and the battery is prepared to work again.

Due to the use of a lighter positive-negative pair — sulphur and metallic lithium — the energy density of Li-S batteries is four times that of Li-ion batteries, making them perfect for aviation and interstellar use.

Sodium-ion battery

But for batteries, energy density and longevity are not the only priorities. The affordability of raw materials to build an efficient energy storage solution is also a concern, which is where sodium-ion batteries come into play.

They are similar to Li-ion batteries but use salt water as their electrolyte — a much cheaper alternative. Despite having low energy density, sodium-ion batteries are a safer and more affordable solution that is suitable for energy storage and operations at low temperatures.

Iron-air battery

Another good storage solution is iron-air batteries. They work by rusting or oxidising the iron in the air to generate energy. During recharge, through reverse oxidation, rust is transformed into iron again for use.

The biggest advantages of this type of battery are the abundance of iron and 25 times more storage hours, making it 10 times cheaper and 17 times as long-lasting as lithium-ion batteries.

Form Energy, a US-based energy storage company, is already preparing to begin production of iron-air batteries this year.

Apart from these, zinc-based batteries for their low self-discharge, NanoBolt Lithium Tungsten batteries for faster recharge, Organosilicon Electrolyte batteries for their safer electrolyte solutions, and Gold Nanowire Gel Electrolyte batteries for their greater life cycles are also being eyed as power sources of the future.