Batteries that charge in super-fast times could be on their way after researchers in Australia made a big leap forward with the concept of ‘superabsorbtion’ in quantum batteries. The discovery could lead to a new generation of fast-charging battery units that can be used by multiple technologies.
►Lead scientist James Quach leads team to big breakthrough
►Batteries could provide more cost-effective energy harvesting and storage
Researchers at the University of Adelaide have been working with industry partners on the concept of superabsorption, which makes use of quantum mechanical principles to make batteries charge faster. The technique entwines molecules to make them better at absorbing light, the result of which is that they charge-up faster.
In this theory, the bigger the battery, the faster it will charge. While this is not ideal for mobile devices like laptops and smartphones, the technology could open up potential for new kinds of batteries that can be re-charged quickly to provide an ultra-efficient source of energy for multiple devices, appliances and vehicles. Batteries could both harvest and store energy.
The project has been led by Dr James Q. Quach, a Ramsay Fellow in the School of Physical Sciences and the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), at the University of Adelaide, who said: “It is theoretically possible that the charging power of quantum batteries increases faster than the size of the battery which could allow new ways to speed charging.”
The team charged several wafer-like units using a laser. It published the findings in the journal Science Advances – see here.
