# Scientists invent spray-paint batteries



## micropage7 (Feb 1, 2013)

Researchers at a Texas university have invented a technique to spray-paint super-thin batteries onto any surface.

Made up of five separate layers of paint, the finished battery measures at just 0.5mm thick.

“The traditional packaging for batteries has given way to a much more flexible approach that allows all kinds of new design and integration possibilities for storage devices,” said Professor Pulickel Ajayan. “There has been lot of interest in recent times in creating power sources with an improved form factor, and this is a big step forward in that direction.”

A typical battery is made up of layers rolled up into a cylindrical or round-edged rectangular shape. Scientists at Rice University, Texas, separated the five layers and recreating them, each with their own recipe, ready for being blasted out of a normal spray gun.

The research team airbrushed materials onto ceramic bathroom tiles, flexible polymers, glass, stainless steel and even a beer stein to see how well they would bond with each substrate.






Spray paint batteries could give technology manufacturers endless possibilities when creating the next generation of super sleek PCs, tablets and gadgets

http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/scientists-invent-spray-paint-batteries/028597

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18623840


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## tacosRcool (Feb 1, 2013)

interesting but what is the capacity of these batteries?


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## Aquinus (Feb 1, 2013)

I heard that MIT (at least I think it was MIT,) has created a battery that uses a copper foam where the layers get coated inside the foam. It holds a little more charge than your conventional lithium-ion battery but it charges in a matter of minutes, like 10 minutes to full charge. More capacity is fine and dandy but if I could charge a device that quickly, I wont care if the battery only lasts a couple days on something like a phone.

http://prieto.everyperspective.com/


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## AsRock (Feb 1, 2013)

Aquinus said:


> I heard that MIT (at least I think it was MIT,) has created a battery that uses a copper foam where the layers get coated inside the foam. It holds a little more charge than your conventional lithium-ion battery but it charges in a matter of minutes, like 10 minutes to full charge. More capacity is fine and dandy but if I could charge a device that quickly, I wont care if the battery only lasts a couple days on something like a phone.
> 
> http://prieto.everyperspective.com/



I wounder if you charge those battery's slower they will last longer like the others do.


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## Wrigleyvillain (Feb 1, 2013)

Holy image load, Batman!

Interesting.


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## Aquinus (Feb 1, 2013)

AsRock said:


> I wounder if you charge those battery's slower they will last longer like the others do.



I don't think so because the only thing that the foam design does it reduces the internal circuit size (reducing internal resistance when charging). I would imagine that the amount of energy the battery could output would increase just as well as the rate it can charge since resistance/impedance is reduced, but that is all. That's what I got out of it, anyways. It will be interesting to see if any of these projects actually come foward with a real consumer product for a decent price.


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## Sasqui (Feb 1, 2013)

It's much like lithography, and 'n' number of layers could be added.  I wonder how they make LiPo batteries now?



tacosRcool said:


> interesting but what is the capacity of these batteries?



No doubt depends on what the anode/cathode materials are made of and the size, etc... just like traditional batteries.


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