Graphene Batteries: The future of rechargeable battery technology is here today!

Graphene Batteries: The future of rechargeable battery technology is here today!

Video: An informational video outlining ta brief history of graphene and its applications in battery technology.

From smartphones that double as digital assistants to electric vehicles that nearly drive themselves; it would seem that the only limits of modern technology are the not so modern rechargeable batteries that power them. Current rechargeable batteries such as lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries offer somewhat consistent power and acceptable lifespans , but are hindered by relatively low capacity , longer charging periods, and less overall charging cycles than graphene batteries of similar dimensions. Currently, users of smartphones with Li-ion batteries are lucky to get a day or two of battery life before they must scramble to locate a charger. The normal time period to fully charge a smartphone could take up to several hours. Now imagine if the same device could last up to a week and be charged in a fraction of the time. Now thanks to the innovative minds at RealGrapheneUSA, this dream is quickly becoming a reality.

RealGrapheneUSA is a California based company which specializes in the utilization of graphene in battery technologies. Currently, they produce graphene based power banks with the promise of lightning fast device charging, increase of total battery charge cycles, and much less device harming heat.

What is Graphene?

Anyone who has used a pencil is familiar with graphite, but what exactly is graphene? In simplest terms, graphene is the thinnest possible form of graphite. Graphene is only a single atomic layer thick, featuring a hexagonal structure that is extremely condensed. Once broken down to a single atomic level, graphene takes on many interesting properties that are very different from graphite. First of all; graphene is an extremely efficient conductor of electricity. In addition to this, graphene is an extremely strong material that is both flexible and lightweight. Graphene offers 200 times the strength of steel while being only a fraction of the weight. So how exactly is graphene utilized in battery technology? In a similar way to commercial lithium ion batteries, highly conductive and porous graphene plates transfer energy to either charge or discharge the battery at a high rate. Both lithium-ion and graphene batteries share similarities in design but also have a wide array of differences.

How does Graphene compare to other rechargeable batteries?

Lithium-Ion batteries and graphene batteries can be used to power similar devices and transfer energy in similar ways. Although both lithium-ion and graphene batteries share similarities in design and application, they differ greatly when it comes to speed of energy transfer, safety aspects, and service life.

The main reason that graphene batteries are so much more efficient than traditional batteries is fairly simple, heat. Whenever energy is transferred to a device, a large amount of excess heat energy is created as a by-product of resistance of it’s conductors. Lithium-ion batteries conduct energy while exhibiting relatively high resistance, which generates relatively high levels of heat. As the lithium becomes unevenly heated resistance increases further, creating a cycle of progressive inefficiency. This excess heat is also harmful to the battery and device itself. Although modern Li-ion batteries are fairly safe and stable, occurrences of catastrophic failures of the battery may result in fire or explosion.

Graphene is currently one of the most conductive materials in the world, exhibiting extremely low levels of resistance. This low level of resistance helps to keep excess heat energy to a minimum, therefore keeping overall temperatures at a low and safe range. Lower resistance is optimal for high speed high energy power transfer. According to RealGrapheneUSA, one of the leading companies in graphene battery application,

“Graphene is a near perfect conductor of electricity. This allows electricity to flow without hindrance. This dramatically slows the heating process lithium batteries face while allowing charging speeds up to 5 times as fast. This also increases the battery life by 5 times the charging cycles”.

The future of Graphene in the Battery Industry

Currently graphene is just being introduced and integrated into battery technology. The biggest obstacle to overcome is the extremely high price of the manufacturing process of thin graphene sheets. As production processes become more refined and cost effective, the possible applications of graphene will continuously grow.

The most promising utilization of graphene is in conjunction with traditional lithium-ion batteries. This is done by incorporating graphene into the cathodes and anodes of the battery. In simplest terms, the cathode is where energy flows out of the battery and the anode is where the energy flows in. The cathode and anode are where most resistance and therefore heat is generated. By increasing the conductivity and decreasing the resistance of the cathode/anode materials, more energy can be transferred at a faster rate in a safer manner.

Large companies such as Tesla Motors, Samsung, and Microsoft have shown extreme interest in the development of graphene batteries. As interest and funding into graphene grows, we can expect to see faster and faster development of new technologies.

As batteries continue to evolve, they will naturally become more efficient. With the introduction of graphene into the mix, the possibilities of future capabilities of battery technology are endless. Will we have nearly instant charging periods and be able to go weeks before having to recharge our devices in the near future? It’s difficult to predict the exact advancement of batteries, but today we can safely say graphene will be an integral part in the next step of battery technology.

About Us:

Microbattery.com is the leading provider when it comes to Hearing Aid Batteries, Watch Batteries, Lithium Coin Cells, Lithium Batteries, Alkaline Batteries, and Rechargeable Batteries across North & South America. We have the capability to meet the needs of all sizes of consumers, dealers, distributors and importers. For over 25 years, we have been striving to ensure high customer satisfaction and providing the best quality product possible. Ever since our online store was launched 15 years ago, we have been constantly improving & optimizing our site to provide the most enjoyable and convenient shopping experience for our valued customers.

Our online store has one of the largest selections of various batteries and battery products for all types of electronic applications on the web. Our website is very easy to navigate to help ensure customers can find exactly what they need. All of our products are conveniently organized by category. They can be easily filtered by the category drop down located at the top of every page on our website. Alternatively customers can use the Battery Finder™ located on our homepage, to quickly and simply identify the exact batteries they need. If you require any assistance in determining what products are right for you please do not hesitate to give us a call at (305)-371-9200.

At Microbattery.com, you will find one of the largest selections of batteries on the web. We have millions of cells of common batteries like CR2025, CR2032, LR44, LR41, AA, and AAA in stock at all times. We also carry a wide variety of less common batteries such as CR2477, CR2016, Rechargeable Batteries, Radio Batteries, Telephone Batteries, and Pet Batteries. Regardless of your battery needs, we have got you covered. If you require a battery that we currently do not carry, please feel free to give us a call at (305)-371-9200 to place a special order (some restrictions apply).

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