A New Material Could Eliminate Need for Batteries

By Craig Taylor

February 9, 2010

Scientists from Imperial College London and partners from Volvo Car Corporation are developing a material that can store and discharge electrical energy.

The prototype material is strong and lightweight and could be used as part of a car’s body. Imagine a car becoming one giant battery. Scientists expect that this material will benefit hybrid and electric vehicles—making them lighter, more compact and more energy efficient. Additionally, scientists are confident that the material could be used for building casings for electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones—eliminating the need for a separate battery.

“We are really excited about the potential of this new technology. We think the car of the future could be drawing power from its roof, its bonnet or even the door, thanks to our new composite material. Even the Sat Nav could be powered by its own casing,” said Dr. Emile Greenhalgh, the project coordinator from the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London. “The future applications for this material don’t stop there–you might have a mobile phone that is as thin as a credit card because it no longer needs a bulky battery, or a laptop that can draw energy from its casing so it can run for a longer time without recharging. We’re at the first stage of this project and there is a long way to go, but we think our composite material shows real promise.”

What is next for this new composite material? The $4.5 million research project is in its infancy, but scientists believe the new composite material shows real promise. They are planning to improve the material’s mechanical and chemical properties so more energy can be stored. The team is also investigating the most effective method for manufacturing it at an industrial level.