Cool -- proton polymer batteries

[AndrewR]

In the latest issue of Popular Science (great mag, btw), they mention in a little blurb about a technology that NEC has developed in Japan that could be the next generation technology for rechargeable batteries. Virtually unlimited recharging capability -- basically acts like a capacitor and doesn't use chemical reactions for power.

Anyone else read anything or know anything about this? Sounds promising. Battery technology is quite crappy and is holding back quite a bit of other products because it is prohibitively expensive or simply impractical with today's batteries (electrical cars are pretty damn heavy because of those monstrous batteries).

 

[Wangel]

I read the article, and it does seem like the new technology. I thought it said something about being 4 or 5 years from production.

 

[Czar]

darn it, this it the main problem with small electronic things, battery life. I´m quite happy that my cell phone is over 200 hours.

 

[rahvin]

There was a recent slash-dot on it. Not a lot of power, but the recharge stuff was pretty neat, if they can get them to hold more juice we will have some sweet batteries...

 

[AndrewR]

It doesn't say, actually. It says that it's too early to tell "when (or if) it will go into production". However, if it does live up to its promise, I'd say it's not too far enough assuming that there aren't any major engineering obstacles to production. Given the possiblity for profit for a viable new battery technology, the profit potential will move the production along.

 

[rahvin]

The slashdot article seemed to indicate that production would begin this may, but when I mean total power was low I mean low. A few people calc'd the energy and it looks like for the same size laptop battery you would get 1/4 the energy (but it would recharge in like 5 minutes), 1/4 the energy would mean 1/4 the time and considering most laptops only last about an hour it would mean laptop batteries that lasted 15min, they wouldn't be popular.

 

[AndrewR]

Ah, that does seem to be a problem. The PopSci article doesn't address that.