There have been innumerable instances of manufacturers struggling with their batteries. Smartphones running out of battery are a common phenomena or laptops batteries being recalled due to safety issues is also not rare. Well all this could soon be a thing of the past with researchers at the University of Leeds having invented a much safer, cheaper, lighter and long lasting batteries.
These batteries are called Jelly Batteries because it contains 70% liquid electrolyte instead of the conventional organic liquids used in the lithium-ion batteries and hence they can be molded to give any shape. Though I would think that the advent of non rectangular phones or devices still seems to be a distant possibility.
The jelly battery has many other benefits among which primary is the fact that its much cheaper and would cost you only around 10-20% of any of the usual liquid filled batteries. The jelly battery consists of a rubber like polymer which contains the liquid electrolyte within a stretchable and slender film of gel. It’s possible to replace the liquid in the battery once it dries out thus making the batteries long lasting.
The batteries also prevent “thermal runaway”, unlike lithium battery wherein the heat gets accumulated and there is always a chance of the battery catching fire due to overheating. And thus Jelly Battery is much safer than any other conventional batteries.
An American firm called Polystor Energy Corporation, has already licensed the jelly battery technology from the University of Leeds and is currently conducting trials to check out its viability.