Have you ever wondered if your smartphone could be fully charged in less than 15 minutes?
According to Samsung, something like this may not be far off, as the company completed on Tuesday a new study on the battery, which could have major implications for smartphone manufacturers.
The Korean electronics giant says it has developed a type of battery that is more efficient and charges faster than traditional lithium‑ion batteries. It is called “graphene ball”, and Samsung says that batteries made from this material could be charged up to five times faster than the comparable lithium‑ion batteries.
A battery that now takes an hour for a full charge could theoretically need only 12 minutes to charge, if the new graphene‑particle material is used, says the company. It could also allow a 45% increase in battery capacity, according to researchers.
This increased capacity, combined with super-fast charging, could have a big impact not only on smartphones, but also on electric vehicles and all other products that benefit from batteries .
«We were in a position to significantly improve the capabilities of lithium‑ion batteries in an environment where the markets for mobile devices and electric vehicles are rapidly growing», said Dr. Son In‑hyuk. «Our commitment is to continuously explore and develop battery technology, in the light of these trends».
While the material is still in the research phase, there is another reason why Samsung may be particularly interested in using graphene-based batteries: safety. Given that the battery can remain at an “extremely stable” temperature of 60 degrees Celsius, the batteries could be especially suitable for PCs.
You can read more about Samsung's research in its article published in Nature.
