The battery of the future will be water-based
Large-scale operations such as wind farms are the main target of the new tech, but consumers may still benefit from it.
This isn't the first flow battery to be developed, but rather it fixes many of past designs' problems, such as excessive capacity degradation with usage. The researchers achieved that by modifying the structures of the molecules used in the electrolyte solutions, and making them water soluble. As a result, the batteries become non-corrosive and cheaper to produce, making them an ideal candidate for industrial uses, such as storing wind and solar energy.
While this prototype aims to be a solution to the lithium-ion battery problem on a larger scale, it's still indicative of what's to come in the near future. Consumer devices nowadays require more power than ever, and development on that front is sure to come eventually, so here's hoping we're seeing the last wave of phone batteries lasting just a couple of years.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
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