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Scientists see lithium-ion battery flaws
Scientists at Cambridge have developed a simple, accurate way of ‘seeing’ chemistry in action inside a lithium-ion battery.
Rapid car battery charging may pose grid problems
Siemens is hard at work on technologies for integrating electric cars into the public power grid. The development of methods to rapidly recharge cars is just one of the company's contributions to Denmark's Edison project, which is the first to plug a pool of vehicles into the grid.
When was the battery invented?
One of the most remarkable and novel discoveries in the last 400 years has been electricity. One may ask, “Has electricity been around that long?” The answer is yes, and perhaps much longer, but the practical use of electricity has only been at our disposal since the mid- to late-1800s and, at first, in a limited way.

Canada claims lithium battery breakthrough
A Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)-funded lab at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, has laid the groundwork for a lithium battery that can store and deliver more than three times the power of conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Energy-harvesting radios remove the need for batteries
Engineers and a semiconductor manufacturer are developing an energy-harvesting radio that could transmit data without ever needing a change of batteries.
Clothing fuels hybrid cars
Monash University scientists in Melbourne have designed a new form of fuel cell that could make the latest generation of hybrid vehicles more reliable and cheaper.
Nanotechnology improves battery life
Nanotechnology could improve the life of the lithium batteries used in portable devices, including laptop computers, MP3 players and mobile phones. Research has demonstrated that carbon nanotubes can prevent batteries from losing charge capacity over time.
Researchers demonstrate ‘avalanche effect’ in solar cells
Proof that the ‘avalanche effect’ by electrons occurs in specific, very small semiconducting crystals could pave the way for cheap high-output solar cells.
More safety for mobile batteries
The safety of lithium-ion batteries has been improved so that in future they could replace motor vehicle lead acid batteries. At the same time, lithium-ion batteries used in computers and other small devices have been made safer following research at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg.
Battery-powered clothes
Textiles that glow in the dark may be about to make the world a safer place for cyclists, joggers and pedestrians during bad light and at night
Electricity drawn from body heat
Do you dream of a future where your phone battery never goes flat? You may not have much longer to wait now that researchers have created new circuits that are making it possible to harness body heat for generating electricity
One to put your shirt on!
Nanotechnology researchers are working on a 'power shirt' which aims to replace batteries
Hybrid electric vehicle made possible
The electric car has been a dream in the pipelines since the early 19th century but has always seemed out of reach because of battery life, cost and weight. Now a hybrid electric vehicle has been made possible with the development of a long-life battery
Premier Batteries - 20 years on
Premier Batteries commenced business in 1986 in a small factory unit at Chipping Norton. Today they have grown, changed direction, moved to larger premises and evolved to be the largest local manufacturer of two-way radio batteries in Australia
Batteries for life
The world is going wireless. Currently, there are about 80 million wireless-monitoring systems in use worldwide. Oak Ridge National Laboratory recently outlined 12 top requirements for an ideal wireless sensor

Dual battery adaptor
Premier Batteries' latest addition to the product range is a dual mount adaptor which takes two V-Lock batteries doubling camera run times for professional cameramen and news reporters.
High-temp battery
A catalyst that can combine hydrogen and oxygen into water inside a lead acid battery can extend its useful life in temperatures where normal cells would dry out.
Lithium battery
Eveready has launched Eveready Lithium, a longer-lasting battery that is claimed to outperform standard alkaline batteries by up to six times in digital cameras.
Battery life extender
Wolfson Microelectronics has developed SmartDAC, class W amplifier and SilentSwitch technologies to coincide with the launch of the company’s WM8903 CODEC.
Battery test system
The Cadex C8000 is a battery test system for performing complex life cycle tests that may include discharging a battery with GSM, CDMA or other pulses.
Battery charger
The PB-1000 series of battery chargers is available from Computronics.
Power tool batteries
Premier Batteries now offer power tool batteries for all major brands, Atlas Copco, Bosch, Dewalt, Milwalkee, Makita, Metabo, Panasonic, Ryobi.
Battery for high-temperature environments
GS Yuasa has released a standby power battery that has been specifically designed to survive in high temperature applications.
Intelligent multi-chemistry battery charger
The Ionix 'turtle' battery charger is manufactured by Siomar, an Australian company with many years' experience in the design of batteries. The product is exported to over 17 countries.
Photoflash chargers
Linear Technology has released the LT3484 family of ultra-fast photoflash capacitor (typically 320 V) chargers. These ICs are designed as standalone devices, eliminating microprocessor loading and software.
Colour coded two pole battery connectors
The two pole battery connectors manufactured by Anderson and SMH, have moulded key ways to ensure that only connectors of the same colour will mate. This allows different colour housings to be selected to identify voltages, thus preventing the mismatching of the power supply to the output.

Bid to lower solar cell costs
Dow Corning has signed a three-year contract with IMEC to perform joint research on the next generation of crystalline silicon solar cells.
Australian company develops first universal battery-charging solution
Australian company Digital Works has made a major breakthrough in the global battery charger market by developing two first-to-market products that leverage USB technology to charge different mobile devices from the one unit as well as standard rechargeable batteries.
Printable batteries
For a long time, batteries were bulky and heavy. Now, a new device is thinner than a millimeter, lighter than a gram, and can be produced cost-effectively through a printing process.
Outlook bright for printed batteries
Nanomarkets, an industry analyst, has released 'Printed Battery Markets:2009 and Beyond' that contains the latest analysis and market projections of the 'thin' batteries market.
Wind power competition
The Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering at Monash University is this year hosting the student competition project Wind Turbine Power Maximiser.
Battery development wins funding
More than US$2 billion has been earmarked for motor vehicle battery research as part of the US$787 billion economic stimulus and recovery package announced by US President Obama.
Taiwan solar revenues double
Taiwan’s manufacturers of solar cells used to generate electricity reported more than doubled revenues in the third quarter of 2008.
Study into organic solar cells
IMEC and Plextronics, a company specialising in printed solar, lighting and other organic electronics, have signed an agreement to collaborate on materials and inks for organic solar cells.
Making solar cells more efficient
Researchers have developed a way for low-cost solar cells to more efficiently convert sunlight into electricity.
Global distribution
SolarWinds has launched it operations in the Asia-Pacific region.
Solar soldiers advancing
Australian defence personnel may be able to generate enough electricity to power their gear via new solar technology embedded in their uniforms and equipment, now that ANU researchers have won a major defence contract.
Thin-film/printable batteries market to reach $5.6 billion
The value of the thin-film and printed battery market will reach $5.6 billion by 2015, according to a report from NanoMarkets, an industry analyst firm.
Getting fired up over battery alternative
Just about everything that runs on batteries -- flashlights, mobile phones, electric cars, missile-guidance systems -- would be improved with a better energy supply. But traditional batteries haven't progressed far beyond the basic design developed by Alessandro Volta in the 19th century. Until now.
Customisable battery charges for mobile emergency services
Amtex Electronics has developed a customisable battery charger that maintains voltage levels in emergency service and rapid response vehicles.
Battery extends implantable's life
With the help of new silicon-based compounds, scientists - and patients - are getting a significant new charge out of the tiny lithium batteries used in implantable devices to help treat nervous system and other disorders.
Report projects printed electronics market
Markets for displays, signage, lighting, RFID tags, sensors, solar panels, batteries and other products manufactured using printing technology will reach $30.1 billion by 2015, according to a report from NanoMarkets.
Harnessing viruses to build super batteries
MIT scientists have harnessed the construction talents of tiny viruses to build ultra-small â€˜nanowireâ€™ structures for use in very thin lithium-ion batteries.
Flexible thin-film batteries to grow six times in five years
The flexible thin-film battery market is an attractive and fast growing market characterised by very high production volumes, according to a report titled â€˜Flexible Thin Film Batteries â€“ A Global Technology, Industry and Market Analysisâ€™. To sustain its growth, manufacturers have pursued efforts to make them extremely reliable and low in cost.
Battery life extension
A method of improving battery power and extending its charge holding capacity has been developed by chemists in Britain.
Finding a good catalyst for fuel cell anodes
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have discovered that ceria (or cerium dioxide) is a good catalyst for fuel cell anodes.
Lighter kit for soldiers
The kilograms of equipment that soldiers need on their missions can quickly add up. On a five-day operation, disposable and rechargeable batteries alone account for about 10 kg, not to mention the various charging devices for cell phones, PDAs and visual systems.

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