What’s Next for Mobile Phone Battery Technology?
The lives of over 5.13 billion people with mobile phones worldwide would not be the same without the humble mobile phone battery that charges it.
The technology that now powers our mobiles originated from the two-way radios used in taxis and police cars in the 1940s.
The first battery that operated a mobile phone was actually a car battery.
It was hooked up to the mobile phone instead of the separate battery we have today that drive our phones
Most new mobile phones used this technology, and they had to be hooked up inside the car as they needed so much power.
Do you remember the films with people walking around with what looked like bricks in their hands?
Yes. That was because the battery required it was so large and bulky.
In the early 1950s phones could weigh up to 80 pounds!
The first independent working mobile phone came on the scene in 1973.
The problem was they could only run for 30 minutes without needing a charge, and the batteries took a full 10 hours to charge!
During the ’90s smaller phones became the norm and with it came innovations in battery technology.
The first battery type to be used as Nickel-Cadmium batteries; however, they were still bulky and heavy.
They had a tendency to get hot and which caused disturbances to the phone itself.
The other problem was the toxicity of the battery. Therefore it was difficult to dispose of.
The offshoot of the Nickel Cadmium was Nickel Metal Hydride batteries.
They were thinner and weighed less and could recharge over a shorter length of time.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
With the invention of lithium-ion batteries, we thought that our battery dreams were answered…
Lithium-ion batteries were commercialized back in 1991 and quickly became taken up by mobile phone companies.
The standard lithium-ion battery required a charging time of at least an hour, even using quick charging technology.
With Lithium-Ion batteries, it is all about the movement of ions.
The ions move one way when the battery is charging and move the opposite direction when it is discharging power.
There was a battery that could offer twice as much battery charge and less charging time.
There are over 5 billion lithium-ion batteries manufactured every year.
The majority of these come from China.
Samsung Graphene Ball
However, now, Samsung researchers have developed a battery that can offer fast charging speeds and higher capacities.
They have discovered that coating the battery electrodes with a thin layer of what they call ‘graphene ball’ transforms a battery.
By using a graphene ball, they were able to develop a battery that had 45 percent more charging capacity and could fully charge in just 12 minutes.
Graphene is a sheet of carbon atoms that are bound together in the form of honey combe latticework.
The introduction of a graphene battery will herald a lighter battery that is durable and able to handle a more substantial energy capacity.
It seems that introducing the ‘graphene’ onto the scene will extend the life of the electrodes.
The Samsung scientists are claiming that the graphene ball will make lithium-ion batteries last longer and charge faster.
It also states that by using the graphene ball material will enable a temperature characteristic of 60 C, which is also required for electric vehicles.
Graphene has been hailed within the global technology industry as the ‘miracle material’ due to its inherent strength, electrical conductivity, and elasticity.
It is a form of carbon that can be used to develop smaller, slim batteries but with a higher charge.
The structure of graphene battery technology is quite similar to the technology found in traditional batteries.
The main difference in the structure of a graphene battery and traditional batteries is the composition of the electrodes.
The amount of graphene incorporated in the electrodes is based on the performance requirements that are needed.
The other benefits of using graphene technology are producing a battery that is light and durable.
It also offers high capacity for energy storage.
Graphene, however, has been held back somewhat by issues around silicon.
High levels of silicon contamination have been found, which can degrade performance by up to 50%.
There are other battery technologies being considered.
Samsung Graphene Mobile Phone Battery
The benefits of the Samsung battery invention is going to have a significant impact on the mobile phone market place.
Although mobile phones have moved on technology-wise, always the sticking point was the battery performance.
The proposition that graphene batteries can make handsets last longer and charge faster is going to be an attractive option.
If the technology does burst onto the scene in 2019, it will probably appear in the Galaxy Note 10 first.
So a Galaxy Note 10 that currently has installed a 3,400mAh battery could potentially pack a battery of 4,900mAh.
It would also not need any extra space to do so.
It will totally revolutionize the mobile phone market.
Mobile phone manufacturers have struggled with battery capacity.
They have for years been trying to develop a fast-charging battery that can hold a more substantial charge.
If Samsung can pull this off and introduce it in 2019 models, they will be industry leaders when it comes to battery technology.
The life and re-charging ability of your phone’s battery are high on the list of must-haves for the mobile phone user.
Samsung will take a market lead over close rivals Apple and Hawaii.
Samsung is naturally being cautious after the exploding battery episodes of the Galaxy 7.
The Galaxy 7 started to explode in enough numbers to have to withdraw the product.
The problem proved to be the lithium-ion battery.
However, this seems to be an exciting advancement for the Samsung team.
They are over-cautious before releasing this new technology.
They want to make sure there are no problems with this battery technology.
We look forward to a faster charging battery holding more charge, hitting our phone shop shelves in 2019.
Want to know more about the graphene ball, then check this out!
