Most new technology is usually stumbled upon, and the inventor may take great pride in it, but the reality is, new inventions are rarely the intention. And that was the case when a student accidentally created a battery that can last for four centuries. Even the biggest companies have been unable to create such a battery. Take the Smartphone industry for instance, the design and technology continually evolves but the battery durability continues to deteriorate.

How it happened

University of California students chanced upon this discovery in the course of doing research on normal cells. They were looking for a way that they could be made to last longer. Nanowires are the conductors of power that were the basis of their study. The students figured that if they could maybe add onto the surface area of the Nanowires, they would hold the charge for longer. This would enable phones to last longer on a single charge, hence increase the durability of every such device. The belief is if phones are charged less, then the device would have a longer lifespan. This may not be the best news for mobile companies, but definitely for the consumer.

Composition of regular batteries

Lithium is the key component of normal cells. The element is used in almost every rechargeable battery ranging from, smartphones, laptops and the majority of electrical appliances. As they recharge, they erode over time making them redundant. The more you charge, the more the wear and tear. And after approximately one thousand counts, the lithium battery is no longer able to hold any electrical charge.

This battery lasts 400 years

Instead of Lithium, the new battery uses gold nanowires.  It was found that the ability to hold the charge in this new battery far outlasts the normal one. After 200,000 counts, the battery remained the same, without signs of wear and tear whatsoever. Researchers are still baffled at how the new battery works, and are still trying to explain this mystery.

Regular lithium batteries contain liquid electrolyte inside them. This, according to researchers is what can hold an electrical charge. The liquid in those lithium batteries is “light with electrons.” Researchers perceived if they could make the liquid ‘thicker,’ then the charge could be stored for longer, and the batteries would be less sensitive to combustion and temperature.

The only problem with the new battery is that it is made from gold which is very expensive. In the case of mass production, it would push the price of the battery to extraordinary heights. For this reason, the team led by Ph.D. Student Mya Le Thai, are first going to experiment with other components to see if they can get a substitute to replace gold.  

“Realistically, it is almost impossible to use gold to create batteries, it makes no economic sense,” said Mya Le Thai. “We are pushing to see if elements with a similar structure to gold will exhibit similar results now.”

Future of the new battery

The future looks bright for all rechargeable electronics with the current research on the way. Charging electronics less will have a host of benefits which includes longevity and durability. At the end of the day, the consumer will be the biggest benefactor.