Quick café stops could quickly recharge the batteries of something other than your brain in the near future. A fast-charging technology developed by Huawei’s Watt Lab is said to bring batteries from empty to half-full in five minutes, depending on the size of the battery.
The technology was revealed during the 56th Battery Symposium in Nagoya, Japan by the Central Research Institute at Huawei Technology Corporation Limited. This technology can permit an empty 600 mAh capacity battery to be charged to 68 percent capacity in two minutes. A much more potent 3,000 mAh battery, of the type likely to be found in a smartphone, can be charged to 48 percent capacity in as little as five minutes. A sample of this can be seen in the video above.
To achieve this level of fast charging the researchers bonded heteroatoms to the molecule of graphite in anode. That then acted as a catalyst for capturing and transmitting lithium through carbon bonds, all without supposedly decreasing energy density or battery life. Huawei says that it believes this technology will lead to a “revolution in electronic devices” such as “mobile phones, electric vehicles, wearable devices, and mobile power supplies.” The batteries have been throughly tested and are certified by Huawei’s terminal test department.
Charging technologies have made many advances recently, fast charging being one and wireless charging another. With the introduction of this super version of wired fast charging it looks like we might not need to worry about our phones running out of juice in the near future. For those with smartwatches this should also come as a welcome surprise, considering the lesser capacity batteries, it would be possible to fully charge your watch before your order at a restaurant or café has even reached the table. Have you ever woken up a sunny morning only to come to the dreadful realization that you forgot to charge your device during the night? No problem, just charge it up while you eat your breakfast or while you’re getting dressed.
While all of this sounds fantastic, there’s no word from Huawei on when you can expect this technology to hit the market. But considering that it’s ready to be displayed online, that might not be as far off as it sounds.
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