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MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

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Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#11

Post by reacweb »

stdbrouw wrote: post #6
davnicwil wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's been so stuck in a rut, relative to the demands of what we use it for, that it'd seem utterly magical for it to improve dramatically. Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in. Seems completely impossible now, and my mental model of power usage vs battery drain is so set at this point that I think I'd have a really hard time trusting a vastly better battery to really work, even…

> Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in. A Kindle has a battery life of a couple of weeks (30+ hrs active use), but it's actually a mixed blessing. Daily charging is a nightly routine you get used to. Biweekly charging, you just end up forgetting when it's time to charge and don't have any power when you need it.

I have to charge my electric car daily. If capacity was slightly increased, it would be biweekly. Do you think they should stop research ?

Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#12

Post by yason »

davnicwil wrote: post #5
intrasight wrote: post #2

Not sure if this is the same "breakthrough" https://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/yolks-and-shells-improve-rec... It was also discussed in The Economist this week. Batter tech has been stuck in a rut for a long time so it's great news that better tech is in the way.

It's been so stuck in a rut, relative to the demands of what we use it for, that it'd seem utterly magical for it to improve dramatically. Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in. Seems completely impossible now, and my mental model of power usage vs battery drain is so set at this point that I think I'd have a really hard time trusting a vastly better battery to really work, even…

Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in.

Can't do it with my laptop but my phone stays on for 1-2 weeks. That's the reason I have a very basic phone, and it does everything I want my phone to do.

I would welcome a smartphone if it could do the same 1-2 weeks between charging. I could easily live with a "dumb phone" mode, that would just basically sleep while keeping 2G on for phonecalls and texts, but with a press of a button it would switch to the big operating system and allow me to check Google Maps or use the browser. Higher current draw using those applications would be justified, but needless activity when left idle isn't.

Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#13

Post by will_hughes »

camillomiller wrote: post #8

It's all quite generic in the press release. And, nobody even tries to answer the number one question: how long until batteries like this could eventually hit the market?

The other major issue being: How does this affect all the other parameters that make a battery useful?

I mean, sure, an 'indefinite life' is fine, but not if it's got more limited charge/discharge rates, energy densities, etc.

Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#14

Post by davnicwil »

yason wrote: post #12
davnicwil wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's been so stuck in a rut, relative to the demands of what we use it for, that it'd seem utterly magical for it to improve dramatically. Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in. Seems completely impossible now, and my mental model of power usage vs battery drain is so set at this point that I think I'd have a really hard time trusting a vastly better battery to really work, even…

Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in. Can't do it with my laptop but my phone stays on for 1-2 weeks. That's the reason I have a very basic phone, and it does everything I want my phone to do. I would welcome a smartphone if it could do the same 1-2 weeks between charging. I could easily live with a "dumb phone" mode, that would just basically sleep while keeping 2G on for phon…

I agree with you in principle, but for me, when I say phone, I really mean internet connected pocket-sized computer.

As in, running the OS and apps is the device's primary function for me - making phone calls is a nice-to-have that I rarely use.

When the battery dies, it's not the ability to make phone calls that I miss - it's the ability to use the apps!

Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#15

Post by mpweiher »

will_hughes wrote: post #13
camillomiller wrote: post #8

It's all quite generic in the press release. And, nobody even tries to answer the number one question: how long until batteries like this could eventually hit the market?

The other major issue being: How does this affect all the other parameters that make a battery useful? I mean, sure, an 'indefinite life' is fine, but not if it's got more limited charge/discharge rates, energy densities, etc.

"The new battery also has an improved power capacity that is 20 to 30 percent higher than traditional models, and can endure frigid temperatures as well"

Nothing about charge/discharge rates.

Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#16

Post by henry_vonfire »

reillyse wrote: post #10
iLoch wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know much about battery tech but I get the feeling that "rut" is actually just their business model. Hard to sell a lot of batteries/phones/etc. that work forever.

I was just chatting to someone about this today. I feel like my "honeymoon" period with my new iphone 6 is coming to an end. 6 months in and I'm starting to have to think about when I charge it. Definitely it's not in Apple's interest to solve this particular problem, especially when (I think) they've deliberately made the battery non-replaceable.

Well, in my case, I was using a second hand Nexus One for years (almost 3 years if I remember it right) without problems with the battery. I think that if you respect the charging cycles, you make it last longer (I usually wait until 10% of battery left to charge it)

Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#18

Post by Tepix »

davnicwil wrote: post #5
intrasight wrote: post #2

Not sure if this is the same "breakthrough" https://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/yolks-and-shells-improve-rec... It was also discussed in The Economist this week. Batter tech has been stuck in a rut for a long time so it's great news that better tech is in the way.

It's been so stuck in a rut, relative to the demands of what we use it for, that it'd seem utterly magical for it to improve dramatically. Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in. Seems completely impossible now, and my mental model of power usage vs battery drain is so set at this point that I think I'd have a really hard time trusting a vastly better battery to really work, even…

Sure, smartphones could really use improved batteries, however ultraportable notebooks are really impressive nowadays with decent performance, thin shapes, a weight of sometimes less than 1kg and batteries that last all day.

Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#19

Post by nugga »

iLoch wrote: post #3
intrasight wrote: post #2

Not sure if this is the same "breakthrough" https://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/yolks-and-shells-improve-rec... It was also discussed in The Economist this week. Batter tech has been stuck in a rut for a long time so it's great news that better tech is in the way.

I don't know much about battery tech but I get the feeling that "rut" is actually just their business model. Hard to sell a lot of batteries/phones/etc. that work forever.

Maybe we will finally get laptop batteries that don't "mysteriously" die after their maximum charge drops to 50% of the original. I'm looking at you lenovo..

Re: MIT discovers batteries with indefinite lifetimes using solid-state-electrolytes

#20

Post by TsiCClawOfLight »

yason wrote: post #12
davnicwil wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's been so stuck in a rut, relative to the demands of what we use it for, that it'd seem utterly magical for it to improve dramatically. Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in. Seems completely impossible now, and my mental model of power usage vs battery drain is so set at this point that I think I'd have a really hard time trusting a vastly better battery to really work, even…

Imagine being able to use a laptop, or a phone, for days without plugging in. Can't do it with my laptop but my phone stays on for 1-2 weeks. That's the reason I have a very basic phone, and it does everything I want my phone to do. I would welcome a smartphone if it could do the same 1-2 weeks between charging. I could easily live with a "dumb phone" mode, that would just basically sleep while keeping 2G on for phon…

Xperia z (at least) series devices have an "ultra stamina" mode that does basically that. I have only tested it once, but it works really well and should give you way over a week of mostly sleeping.

Source: I own a z1 compact.

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