mPhase Technologies on February 7 announced that the Smart Nanobattery it is developing could be equipped with features that would allow it to be disposed of safely. The company has applied for patent protection for a set of design strategies to create batteries that use advanced chemistries but are still safe to dispose. Today, most batteries can harm the environment when not disposed of properly.
"Protecting the environment is critical," said Ronald A. Durando, CEO of mPhase Technologies. "We are pleased to have developed a green strategy that can help minimize the impact of various chemistries on the environment."
The prototype batteries use various chemicals as electrolytes residing on top of nano structures in a dormant state and when triggered, cause an electrochemical reaction to produce a measurable voltage and current under a load. Some cells are reserved to create the neutralizing chemical reaction at the end of life. The Smart Nanobattery promises an energy source that can be packaged in various configurations, with shelf life lasting decades, yet still able to be activated almost instantaneously on demand.
The innovation is based on a breakthrough in micro fluidics research making possible dynamic control of surfaces when interacting with a liquid – a key enabler for making "Smart Batteries" a reality. Batteries based on this technology may deliver a new and unique component for system design across many fields, including defense, industrial and consumer electronics.
