Q&A: Boosting batteries
We all want our phones to have more time between power points and recharge faster, but we don’t necessarily need new battery technologies to achieve that – researchers at the University of Warwick believe built-in sensors could hold the key
How sensors could extend the life of existing batteries
will take years – but our smartphones will run out in hours. In the meantime, Dr Tazdin Amietszajew has your back.
Rather than invent a completely new battery – with the materials science, chemical compounds and threat of explosion that involves – the researcher at the University of Warwick and his colleagues have instead created sensors to embed in existing battery designs. These let manufacturers know exactly how far we can push those technologies for faster charge times and more capacity. Right now, the threat of overheating means that we don’t push batteries very hard, but better data means we can expand their capabilities without dangerous consequences.
For us, that means a smartphone or laptop that lasts longer and charges faster – without pesky explosions. PC Pro spoke to Dr Amietszajew to find out exactly how these tests will change charge times, boost capacity and make batteries safer.
Where did this idea come from? Coming from a thermodynamic background, I know that if we understand the system better, then we can squeeze more out of it. If we apply different types of sensors and different types of investigation to the batteries, then we can definitely make them better.
Batteries are black boxes. Manufacturers themselves have simple tests, but they treat it as a closed system, with no data from inside the cell. They just observe it externally – the external temperature and fuel-cell voltages, which is the basic data. It’s not really telling enough about what’s happening inside; it’s okay for quality control, but not really if you want to play with performance.
“With the batteries we’ve worked with so far, we improved the charging times fivefold – it’s quite a big improvement ”
What’s your solution? We use different types of sensors. You can use fibre optics. You can put gratings on the fibre optics, which expand and contract from the temperature that is surrounding the fibre. It’s beneficial because it’s… not impacting the battery, because we don’t put any current down it. We don’t change the magnetic fields, we just play with light. The second type [of sensor is] thermistors, so its elements change the resistance depending on the temperature. And the third one is that we put miniature reference electrodes in the cylindrical parts, so this way we have a full spectrum of data from inside the cell. We’ve also designed our own type of connector… that can be read by any device, really.
How much can you boost batteries by? The concept is that you can always get more, but how much depends on the battery. With the batteries we’ve worked with so far, we improved the charging times fivefold – it’s quite a big improvement. Some batteries will, of course, be better. Some will be worse. The bottom line is you can always do better. Next steps are to expand what we can do with the sensors: charging time is one thing, then you have safety, and then you have capacities – all these things can be improved.
How else can this help? We’re developing the sensors so that they last longer, so they get more data out, and they’re easier to use. The ultimate scenario is that you get battery manufacturers to put the sensors inside the cells as they produce them… they communicate wirelessly and check in every now and then, so that you the end user have your car battery telling you that it’s all fine. But as soon as something happens, it’s reported straightaway.
When will this be used to boost our batteries? It depends on the manufacturers. With smartphones, it will take time to trickle down. For car manufacturers, however, it could be much faster. If you’re going to buy an electric car next year, then you may see the impact very soon, because we work with the automotive companies and there is interest from them.