The new battery fuses Toshiba’s latest advances in nano-material
technology for the electric devices sector with cumulative know-how in
manufacturing lithium-ion battery cells. A breakthrough technology applied
to the negative electrode uses new nano-particles to prevent organic
liquid electrolytes from reducing during battery recharging. The
nano-particles quickly absorb and store vast amount of lithium ions,
without causing any deterioration in the electrode.
The excellent recharging characteristics of new battery are not its
only performance advantages. The battery has a long life cycle, losing
only 1% of capacity after 1,000 cycles of discharging and recharging, and
can operate at very low temperatures. At minus 40 degrees centigrade, the
battery can discharge 80% of its capacity, against 100% in an ambient
temperature of 25 degree centigrade).
Toshiba will bring the new rechargeable battery to commercial products
in 2006. Initial applications will be in the automotive and industrial
sectors, where the slim, small-sized battery will deliver large amounts of
energy while requiring only a minute to recharge. For example, the
battery’s advantages in size, weight and safety highly suit it for a role
as an alternative power source for hybrid electric vehicles.
Toshiba expects that the high energy density and excellent recharge
performance of the new battery will assure its successful application as a
new energy solution in many areas of society.
The prototype battery is small and light and offers a high level of
storage in a 3.8mm thick, 62mm high and 35mm deep package with a capacity
of 600mAh. These characteristics assure the wide applicability of the
battery as a power source for products as diverse as hybrid vehicles and
future mobile phones.
On the Web (links open in a new window):
Toshiba Corp.
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