A team of scientists from Harvard University, together with researchers at the University of Illinois have created the smallest lithium-ion battery in the world. Again this has helped them 3D printing.
The researchers used a conventional 3D-printer, which can be purchased from the online store, and special inks to produce batteries. They managed to get a battery with a width of only a millimeter. «We are not only the first to have done this, but also created a record small lithium-ion battery, which has a great future,» — said in an interview with Gigaom lead study author Jennifer Lewis.
According to the team of scientists working on the project, this battery can be used in many different areas of life, but especially in robotics. With the help of tiny flying and floating drones will be able to work autonomously over long distances. The researchers also believe that the micro-battery find successful application in the construction of medical implants and in electronics.
«The idea of equipping robots with tiny battery has great prospects. Now arrangements are mostly tied to sources of supply, and it would be nice if they could for a long time to work autonomously, without requiring additional charge, «- says Jennifer Lewis.
Prior to that, according to the researcher, the other teams of scientists have attempted the creation of small batteries that can work for a long time, but they still came out too bulky, and also were not printed on the 3D-printer. Their own development, according to researchers from Harvard, with their tiny size has the capacity to compete with conventional lithium-ion batteries, such as those that run on mobile phones. «Its electrochemical performance comparable to commercial batteries and charged, and the category, according to the life cycle and energy density. We are just able to keep it all, greatly reducing the size of the battery, «- said study co-author Shen Dillon.
Next, the team plans to do printing batteries for hearing aids, and right inside the device. «Why do not we eventually do not printed himself a hearing aid?» — Said Lewis.
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