The left shows MU’s honeycomb structure for the material, while right shows diode-type behavior of current flowing in one direction (Photo via University of Missouri)
There’s no question that smart devices, like phones and laptops, have made our lives a bit easier. But the biggest complaint about them, aside from increasing price, is the battery life. No matter how many times you upgrade your phone or how long you charge your laptop, the battery never lasts. Is there a solution? A team of researchers at the University of Missouri thinks they may have found the answer.
The team, led by associate professor of physics and technology Deepak K. Singh, recently applied for a patent for a material that could increase battery life and reduce the heat they emit. The material’s unique, magnetic structure resembles that of a honeycomb and researchers found that it exhibits distinct electronic properties. Semiconductor diodes and amplifiers made of silicone are used in most of our electronic devices. A diode works by conducting current and voltage through the device via one direction. When the voltage is reversed the current stops and switching uses up a lot of energy due to dissipation. This is what affects your battery life.
For the new material, researchers replaced the semiconductor with a magnetic system that’s more effective. When an alloy is placed over the lattice surface, the material produces an electrical current in one direction. This results in significantly less energy dissipation than a standard silicon or germanium diode. The magnetic diode also paves the way for new magnetic transistors and amplifiers that use very little power, which increases the power source’s efficiency.
This could mean that batteries last longer than those available on the consumer market. It could also result in less heat output. Ever notice how hot your phone gets after you’ve been on for a while? This is a byproduct of energy dissipation. Since these new transistors dissipate less energy, it’ll also reduce heat output. Singh admits more work needs to be done before the material is actually implemented, but he believes it could increase your battery from a 5-hour charge to a 500-hour charge. That would make those cumbersome charging banks obsolete.
The research team is currently preparing to take their new design to the marketplace. Sign hopes the new diode could go beyond batteries and be used as a de factor on/off switch for systems that operate by increasing or reducing the flow of power through a device. Think of close-circuit cameras or radio frequency attenuators. In the end it’s all about increasing battery life, which we all can agree would be fantastic. But let’s see how this turns out before we get too excited. Many other researchers have made “breakthroughs” on longer lasting battery life with little to no outcome.
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