March 12, 2009

New battery technology is being developed at MIT that can charge cell phone batteries in seconds instead of hours.

There’s some great developments taking place thanks to research being continued at MIT. New ultra-High-Power Lithium-Ion Batteries are being designed to quickly charge and discharge.

Designed for hybrid cars

Developed by Gerbrand Ceder, a professor of materials science at MIT–can be discharged in 10 seconds.

Ric Fulop, vice president of business development at A123 Systems, a battery maker based in Watertown, MA, that has licensed Ceder’s new material, says that it could be useful for hybrids or for delivering the power needed for laser weapons.

Researchers have already modified lithium iron phosphate to achieve power levels high enough for power tools and for most hybrid vehicles. Indeed, iron phosphate batteries are already being sold by more than one battery maker for such applications.