We are increasingly hearing about solar-powered devices being able to store their extra power in a battery, however, those batteries still have to be connected to another device in order to charge, and they can also be dangerous because their chemical properties.
Thanks to a team of researchers in India, however, that might be about to change, with the team having developed a battery that is powered by light and can recharge without either an external source or chemicals that could be dangerous.
"Under normal indoor lighting it discharges electric current that can run a small fan. Within 30 seconds, it recharges without an external power source," says a video report by the American Chemical Society. "Although not yet strong enough to run your cell phone, the researchers say their design is a promising first step towards more sustainable and safer battery technology."
The team that created the battery was led by Dr. Musthafa Ottakam Thotiyl, from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research.
Of course, the battery isn't quite ready for the big leagues just yet, with the current prototype only able to power a small fan or run an LED. After 30 seconds, the battery is fully powered and able to run for over 100 charge and discharge cycles.
Besides running off of renewable energy, the fact that the battery runs off of titanium nitrate is also significant, making it much more stable than lithium-ion batteries and far less likely to catch fire or overheat, both common issues in lithium-ion batteries.
While it isn't yet strong enough to power our everyday devices just yet, this is a big step forward. Once the technology is developed to deliver enough to power things like our smartphones, it could potentially change how we run our electrical lives.
Of course, a small group of researchers is not the only group trying to find new ways of powering our homes, devices and cars. Massive corporations have thousands of employees at work in an attempt to develop better battery tech, which will eventually be used to power the next wave of electric cars. Even Apple is getting in on the game, with reports suggesting that the company is developing an electric car of its own.
Tesla is another company very interested in the next generation of battery technology and has even released a battery designed to power a home and work in conjunction with solar panels. Only time will tell what the energy landscape looks like in a decade, but with all these innovations, it will almost certainly be far better than today.
Check out the new light-powered battery below.
