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Breakthrough Spin Battery Size of Hair Could Run Electric Car For Miles

 
3,540 views Mar 13, 2009
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Physicists at the University of Miami and Tokyo and Tohoku have invented a radical new type of battery in the laboratory. The profound findings were published in the journal Nature.

The battery uses special nanomagnets inside devices called magnetic tunnel junctions. By applying a large magnetic force across a series of of these devices, profound amounts of energy can be stored within them. Energy is stored as these devices are wound up analogous to a toy soldier and hence are given the term spin battery. The material is solid state and no chemistry is required.

Stored magnetic energy is then converted to electricity when a load is placed on the system.

Lead inventor Stuart Barnes said "We had anticipated the effect, but the device produced a voltage over a hundred times too big and for tens of minutes, rather than for milliseconds as we had expected."

The energy density of batteries created from these devices has the potential to be fantastically enormous.

Barnes noted that although the actual device has a diameter of a human hair, the energy that could be stored in it could potentially run a car for miles.

Source (Nature)





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Comments (6)

  1. By Noel Park Posted: 3/13/2009 12:11pm PDT

    "Awesome Change"

    Man, we are really on the brink of breath taking change in our transportation systems. And not a moment too soon, either. All credit to these brilliant scientists. Well done! Keep it up!
     
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  2. By  Dream Manager Posted: 3/14/2009 10:30am PDT

    "And Now, Energy Politics"

    Awesome discovery. Now the politics of bringing it to market begin. Let's hope there's enough people in the right places to nurture it rather than squash it. Go GREEN!
     
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  3. By Squash begins Posted: 3/15/2009 8:10am PDT

    "Arabs will buy it... Shelf it forever."

    Don't get too excited. The Arabs will buy the technology and shelf it forever.
    We many never hear of this again. I love it, and wish everybody knew about this, but I would not be surprised if it is gone.
    Arabs can offer billions for it, and would certainly get it. Only costs them a nickel.
     
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  4. By Jackson Posted: 3/19/2009 7:45pm PDT

    "small beginnings"

    Is it like a solid-state, electromagnetic version of a rubber band? You twist (spin) it up and then get electricity when you let it go. Unlike a rubber band, (or a conventional battery) no molecules get degraded over time.
    A later article implies that the actual 'drive a car for miles' spin battery wouldn't be smaller than a hair, like the test device.
    Implementation awaits a method for manufacturing such nano-ordered structures in bulk.
     
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  5. By Stanley Posted: 5/2/2009 7:29pm PDT

    "Mr."

    "Go GREEN!"
    ..............................
    Don't forget about electromagnetic pollution.
     
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  6. By Kevin Cook Posted: 12/9/2010 11:45am PST

    Where is the latest information on the developement of this battery - surely there is a more detailed article on this "miracle" and it's stage of developement. Perhaps this is just another "popular science article" on the wonders of the future that NEVER come to pass.
     
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