The new graphene battery cells takes just twenty minutes to reach a full charge of a 3,000mAh cell. It’s also cooler and doesn’t generate as much heat as lithium batteries. (Image Credit: Real Graphene)
I can see this type of battery technology becoming massively adopted in the coming years.
Lithium batteries that have been infused with graphene tend to last longer, charge faster and have lower temperatures than the standard lithium batteries. Graphene has benefits that smartphone companies will want to take advantage of by using them in their devices and they may be able to do that very soon. Real Graphene, a tech company based in Los-Angeles, has been working on graphene-enhanced battery cells, which they say is almost ready for commercial use. Real Graphene’s power banks are available for purchase on their website.
Regular phone batteries usually take an average of 90 minutes, sometimes less, to recharge. The Real Graphene battery cell is much quicker, taking just 20 minutes to reach a full charge of a 3,000mAh cell using a 60watt charger. Real Graphene’s battery cells can also last a lot longer than standard phone batteries. While the majority of phone batteries have 300 to 500 charging cycles, Real Graphene’s can last 1,500 cycles using the same capacity. It’s also safer to use, generates less heat, and runs a lot cooler than standard batteries.
Real Graphene applies grapheme into these batteries in two different ways. The first is by mixing the grapheme in with a lithium battery. They’ve also put a composite layer in the battery, enabling it to act as a conductor for the electricity. Adding a sheet of graphene into the battery won’t affect its size. Even though the battery cell will be similar in size, it would still cost 30% more than a regular lithium battery, resulting in a higher-priced phone. This wouldn’t be an issue since consumers are likely willing to pay extra because the battery would charge faster and won’t degrade as quickly.
The company doesn’t just produce the graphene and battery, but they also build the chipset needed for charging. Making graphene in layers is also very complex, even in large quantities, and costs are high for consumers. It costs $25 to produce a single sheet for labs. Several years ago, it cost a hefty price of $300,000 for a kilogram of graphene.
Real Graphene has already started manufacturing the graphene battery cells, and some manufacturers are testing the batteries. Manufacturers would find it easy to swap out a lithium battery with the Real Graphene’s enhanced one since it still uses lithium. Currently, Real Graphene is in the process of making graphene batteries for devices like a smartwatch and a battery-powered golf-cart. Before a graphene-enhanced battery is used with a device, Real Graphene will need to reach a deal with a phone manufacturer.
Sometime in the next few weeks, the company will be launching a crowdfunding campaign for two graphene battery packs. One of them, the G-100, will contain a 10,000mAh cell with three charging ports that are capable of recharging in 20 minutes using a 100watt charger. The price for this has been set at $90, with the 100W charger costing an additional $15. The second battery pack, a G-100 Max power pack contains a 20,000mAh cell that can charge in just 40 minutes.
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