Researchers Invent What May Be the Tiniest Battery in the World

Researchers in the US have invented a battery that is so small that many millions of them could be crammed into a space the size of a postage stamp.

The structure called nanopore was invented by researchers at the University of Maryland in the US and could result in the ultimate miniaturization of energy storage components, the researchers said.

A tiny hole in a ceramic sheet holds the electrolyte to carry the electrical charge between nanotube electrodes at either end.

Though still a test device, the microscopic battery performs well.

"It can be fully charged in 12 minutes and can be recharged thousands of times," said Chanyuan Liu, lead researcher from the University of Maryland.

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Researchers said they thought the reason the unit is so efficient is because each nanopore is shaped "just like the others", allowing them to pack the tiny thin batteries together closely. Eleanor Gillette, co-author, said the modelling shows the unique design of the nanopore battery is responsible for its success.

Gillette added that the space inside the holes is so small that the amount of space taken up when put together is still no more than a grain of sand.

Researchers believe this unit has great potential as its size allows packing of the tiny thin batteries together efficiently.

The scientists have identified improvements to make the next version of the battery 10 times more powerful.

Written with inputs from IANS.