Huawei’s R&D Investment powers major breakthrough for warm climate

DUBAI: Huawei was ranked as the world’s eighth-largest company in terms of research and development spending in 2016, according to EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard, an annual ranking of the world’s top 2,500 R&D investors

The global technology manufacturer’s significant investment in research and development has led to major breakthroughs in the industry including the first longlifespan graphene-assisted Li-ion battery able to withstand high temperatures, says a press release.

Huawei’s investment into the Huawei Central Research Institute has led to developments in a number of technological advancements including their latest breakthrough - Li-ion batteries. The Watt Laboratory, an organisation under Huawei’s Central Research Institute Huawei announced at the 57th Battery Symposium held in Japan that Huawei plans to unveil Li-ion batteries featuring new graphene-assisted heat-resistant technologies. These technologies allow Li-ion batteries to remain functional in a 60°C environment, a temperature 10°C higher than the existing upper limit. The lifespan of the graphene-assisted Li-ion batteries will also be twice as long as ordinary Li-ion batteries, allowing for an unprecedented long battery life.

Dr Yangxing Li, Chief Scientist at Watt Laboratory said, “We have performed charging and discharging tests in a high-temperature environment. The tests show that when working parameters are the same, the graphene-assisted hightemperature Li-ion battery is 5°C cooler than ordinary Li-ion batteries. Over 70% of the grapheneassisted battery’s capacity is left after it is recharged 2,000 times at a temperature of 60°C. Less than 13% of its capacity is lost after being kept in a 60°C environment for 200 days.”