http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/batteries/ Read the latest research on everything from new longer life batteries and batteries with viruses to a nano-size battery. en-us Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:05:01 EST Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/batteries/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121220.htm Materials scientists have found a way to transform a chemical long used as an electrical conductor a thin film insulator potentially useful in transistor technology and in devices such as electronic books. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121220.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160532.htm High-performance energy storage technologies for the automotive industry or mobile phone batteries and notebooks providing long battery times – these visions of the future are being brought one step nearer. Researchers have developed a new method that utilizes silicon for lithium-ion batteries. Its storage capacity is ten times higher than the graphite substrate which has been used up to now, and promises considerable improvements for users. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029160532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027101409.htm A road trial of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which could one day end up in every Australian driveway, is underway. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027101409.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141402.htm A new article describes a highly simplified model cell that not only sheds light on the way certain real cells generate electric voltages, but also acts as a tiny battery that could offer a practical alternative to conventional solid-state energy-generating devices. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022141402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013123350.htm The Naval Research Laboratory's Ion Tiger, a hydrogen-powered fuel cell unmanned air vehicle, has flown 23 hours and 17 minutes, setting an unofficial flight endurance record for a fuel-cell powered flight. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013123350.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006104502.htm Researchers have developed an actuator that runs on ultra-low power and that is watertight. This innovative combination of characteristics makes the actuator especially suited for use in in-vivo biomedical applications, and, in general, for all applications that need to combine a long autonomy with small batteries. The prototype has an integrated micro-needle, which can be steered by the actuator. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006104502.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012135506.htm A new type of redox flow battery presents a huge advantage for electric cars. If the rechargeable batteries are low, the discharged electrolyte fluid can simply be exchanged at the gas station for recharged fluid – as easy as refilling the gas tank. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012135506.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007124723.htm Batteries can power anything from small sensors to large systems. While scientists are finding ways to make them smaller but even more powerful, problems can arise when these batteries are much larger and heavier than the devices themselves. Researchers are developing a nuclear energy source that is smaller, lighter and more efficient. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007124723.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929132503.htm Researchers have developed a fuel cell that harvests electricity from glucose, using a common herbicide as a catalyst. Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929132503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923133010.htm Imagine a gift wrapped in paper you really do treasure and want to carefully fold and save. That's because the wrapping paper lights up with words like "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Holidays," thanks to a built in battery -- an amazing battery made out of paper. That's one potential application of a new battery made of cellulose, the stuff of paper. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090923133010.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922160058.htm Researchers have found that graphene, sheets of carbon one atom thick, improves the performance of titanium dioxide as a lithium battery electrode. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922160058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922123931.htm Understanding precisely how fluid boils in tiny "microchannels" has led to formulas and models that will help engineers design systems to cool high-power electronics in electric and hybrid cars, aircraft, computers and other devices. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922123931.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917161742.htm Imagine a car that runs on hydrogen from solar power and produces water instead of carbon emissions. While vehicles like this won't be on the market anytime soon, researchers are making incremental but important strides in the fuel cell technology that could make clean cars a reality. Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917161742.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090910084301.htm Unwanted blooms of Cladophora algae throughout the Baltic and in other parts of the world are not entirely without a positive side. Researchers in Sweden have discovered that the distinctive cellulose nanostructure of these algae can serve as an effective coating substrate for use in environmentally friendly batteries. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090910084301.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907013811.htm Bacteria that generate significant amounts of electricity could be used in microbial fuel cells to provide power in remote environments or to convert waste to electricity. Researchers isolated bacteria with large numbers of tiny projections called pili which were more efficient at transferring electrons to generate power in fuel cells than bacteria with a smooth surface. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907013811.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090806141720.htm Researchers have completed a successful flight test of the fuel cell powered XFC (eXperimental Fuel Cell) unmanned aerial system. During the June 2 flight test, the XFC UAS was airborne for more than six hours. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090806141720.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090805150530.htm New research could one day lead to photovoltaic materials thin enough, flexible enough and inexpensive enough to go not only on rooftops but in windows, outdoor awnings and even clothing. Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090805150530.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090714211527.htm A student is combining engineering and nature to design a more affordable and more sustainable lighting source for those living without electricity. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090714211527.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727081112.htm Engineers are developing a way to capture the kinetic energy produced when soldiers march and use it to power their equipment. Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727081112.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727080836.htm The most important way to reduce carbon dioxide from transport is to get the transport sector integrated into the overall energy system, according to experts. Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090727080836.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090714154822.htm Microfluidic fuel cells could provide the necessary energy to provide continuous power to remote sensors, mobile phones and laptops, according to a student. Microfluidics deals with the behavior, precise control and manipulation of fluids that are geometrically constrained to a small, typically sub-millimeter, scale. Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090714154822.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090702080358.htm For a long time, batteries were bulky and heavy. Now, a new cutting-edge battery is revolutionizing the field. It is thinner than a millimeter, lighter than a gram, and can be produced cost-effectively through a printing process. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090702080358.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611112651.htm A student in Spain has designed a way to increase the energy sustainability of hybrid cars. The implementation of his idea enables a vehicle to consume much less fuel than it would with a conventional configuration. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611112651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518111731.htm Scientists have laid the groundwork for a lithium battery that can store and deliver more than three times the power of conventional lithium ion batteries. Tue, 19 May 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518111731.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517152557.htm A new type of air-fueled battery could give up to ten times the energy storage of designs currently available. This step-change in capacity could pave the way for a new generation of electric cars, mobile phones and laptops. Mon, 18 May 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517152557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505124756.htm Thousands of small electric scooters, bicycles and wheelchairs throughout Europe and Asia are powered by LifePO4 -- a material used in advanced lithium-ion batteries. New LifePO4 batteries, which can power vehicles such as scooters, are made from non-toxic materials abundant in the Earth's crust. Mon, 11 May 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505124756.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090507141349.htm Biofuels such as ethanol offer an alternative to petroleum for powering our cars, but growing energy crops to produce them can compete with food crops for farmland, and clearing forests to expand farmland will aggravate the climate change problem. How can we maximize our "miles per acre" from biomass? Researchers writing in Science say the best bet is to convert the biomass to electricity, rather than ethanol. Fri, 08 May 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090507141349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424073909.htm Students have unveiled their lean, green racing machine which will battle it out in the world’s first zero-emissions Grand Prix this summer. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424073909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090330123225.htm Nearly undetectable from the ground, unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used by the military to scan terrain for possible threats and intelligence. Now, fuel cell powered UAVs are taking flight to help tactical decision-makers gather critical information more efficiently... and more quietly. This latest technology merges two separate efforts -- UAV technology and fuel cell systems. Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090330123225.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090402143501.htm For the first time, researchers have shown they can genetically engineer viruses to build both the positively and negatively charged ends of a lithium-ion battery. The new virus-produced batteries have the same energy capacity and power performance as state-of-the-art rechargeable batteries being considered to power plug-in hybrid cars, and they could also be used to power a range of personal electronic devices. Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090402143501.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090320173859.htm Scientists have developed new systems for storing electrical energy derived from alternative sources that are, in some cases, 10 times more efficient than what is commercially available. Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090320173859.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090311153408.htm MIT engineers have created a kind of beltway that allows for the rapid transit of electrical energy through a well-known battery material, an advance that could usher in smaller, lighter batteries -- for cell phones and other devices -- that could recharge in seconds rather than hours. Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090311153408.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090311162807.htm Scientists have been able to prove the existence of a "spin battery," a battery that is "charged" by applying a large magnetic field to nano-magnets in a device called a magnetic tunnel junction. The electrical current made in this process is called a spin polarized current and finds use in a new technology called "spintronics." Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090311162807.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090209122554.htm Researchers have created hybrid carbon nanotube metal oxide arrays as electrode material that may improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries. Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090209122554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090212181904.htm Undergraduate students have invented a shock absorber that harnesses energy from small bumps in the road, generating electricity while it smooths the ride more effectively than conventional shocks. The students hope to initially find customers among companies that operate large fleets of heavy vehicles. They have already drawn interest from the US military and several truck manufacturers. Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090212181904.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090131113216.htm A pneumatic hybrid engine could be used to power vehicles in the future. The benefit of this technology: it is much cheaper than today's electric hybrids and almost just as economical. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090131113216.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090119210535.htm Scientists have developed a unique new imaging tool. The new technique allows for imaging whole cells in liquid with a scanning transmission electron microscope. Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090119210535.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081216114104.htm Engineers are helping a semiconductor manufacturer implement its idea of an energy-harvesting radio. It could transmit important data -- like stress measurements on a bridge, for instance -- without needing a change of batteries, ever. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081216114104.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081120103802.htm Scientists have developed a new material for anodes, which could clear a path for a new generation of rechargeable batteries. Their new material involves three-dimensional, highly porous silicon structures. Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081120103802.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081117095346.htm Researchers in Missouri have borrowed the technology that living cells use to produce energy to develop a tiny, self-powered sensor for rapid detection of hidden explosives. The experimental sensor, about the size of a postage stamp, represents the first of its kind to be powered by mitochondria, the microscopic "powerhouses" that provide energy to living cells, the researchers say. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081117095346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081102134637.htm Scientists have developed a nanoscale spin-torsion oscillator that can measure miniscule amounts of twisting or torque in a metallic nanowire. The device can be used to uncover spin-dependent fundamental forces in particle physics and have applications in spintronics, chemistry, biology and fundamental physics. Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081102134637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081104084215.htm Researchers have shown that an alloy of the metals magnesium, titanium and nickel is excellent at absorbing hydrogen. This light alloy brings us a step closer to the everyday use of hydrogen as a source of fuel for powering vehicles. A hydrogen ‘tank’ using this alloy would have a relative weight that is sixty percent less than a battery pack. Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081104084215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080925111836.htm A simple device which attaches to a vehicles fuel line near the fuel injector and creates an electrical field could boost gas efficiency as much as 20 percent. Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080925111836.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080909205549.htm Researchers have shown how to reduce fuel consumption and dramatically improve the efficiency of hydraulic pumps and motors in heavy construction equipment. Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080909205549.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080915121227.htm Researchers are helping to develop new rechargeable batteries that could improve hybrid electric cars in the future. For hybrid cars, new materials are crucial to make the batteries lighter, safer and more efficient in storing energy. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080915121227.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080915164612.htm Want more power and longer battery life for that cell phone, laptop, and digital music player? "Flower power" may be the solution. Chemists are reporting development of flower-shaped nanoparticles with superior electronic performance than conventional battery materials. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080915164612.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814091059.htm Hybrid technology combines the advantages of combustion engines and electric motors. Scientists are developing high-performance energy storage units, a prerequisite for effective hybrid motors. Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814091059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080807073753.htm Why does lithium iron phosphate, a candidate for use in future lithium batteries, conduct electricity despite being an insulating material? Chemists have shed light on this paradox. Their experimentally verified "domino-cascade model" shows that local stresses within the material allow electrical and ionic conduction to spread from one area to the next, making the battery function. These results open new horizons in the search for improved battery electrode materials and help explain how tomorrow's electric car batteries work. Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080807073753.htm