The technology that was created for sci-fi movies may soon be reality. A new transparent, solar powered lithium ion battery has been developed by a team of researchers from Kogakuin University. Not only could this new battery bring transparent smartphones reminiscent of the Iron Man movies to life, but it could replace any transparent items (i.e. windows) for additional energy storage capabilities.
Since a team of researchers at Stanford University developed the first nearly transparent battery about four years ago, the team at Kogakuin University has been hard at work on their transparent battery that combines clarity with self-charging abilities.
Other researchers have been focusing on the qualities and potential of transparent materials. A team from Michigan State University began exploring this field last year to develop a transparent luminescent solar concentrator that can be used on buildings, cell phones, and other clear surfaces. However, this development did not have the functionality that the new transparent battery from Kogakuin University does.
Much like the previous generation of transparent batteries, the newly developed lithium ion batteries are not fully transparent due to the necessary chemical compounds used. At its maximum transparency level, the battery is about 60 percent clear. However, when the battery is exposed to the sunlight it will harvest to power itself, the transparency level drops down to about 30 percent.
This from TechXplore:
The trick in getting them to be nearly transparent is in making them really thin—the electrodes are just 80nm and 90nm. After discharge, the team reports that light transmittance rises to approximately 60 percent. They also report output from the battery of 3.6V.
The team believes that this technology could replace any transparent surface—from windows to electronics.
