TDK, which supplies batteries for Apple devices, said it has made a major breakthrough

Japanese company TDK, which is the largest manufacturer of batteries for smartphones, including Apple devices, has announced significant progress in the development of a new battery material. This material will create batteries with "significantly higher energy density" than existing cells.

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Energy density is a metric that reflects the amount of energy a battery can store relative to its size or weight. The new material will be used in TDK's CeraCharge solid-state batteries, which the company claims have an energy density of 1,000 watt-hours per litre - about 100 times that of traditional solid-state batteries. Unlike the liquid electrolyte used in commonly used lithium-ion batteries, these batteries use a solid oxide electrolyte, making them "extremely safe".

Solid state batteries are smaller, charge faster, last longer and have less risk of damage from temperature changes. "The smaller size and higher capacity contribute to smaller device size and longer runtime," TDK said in a statement.

The battery is designed to replace batteries used in wearable devices such as wireless headphones, smart watches and hearing aids. The new batteries will be rechargeable, which is in line with new European Union regulations aimed at reducing the environmental impact of batteries. TDK says it is working on mass production of the solid-state batteries, improving their capacity with multi-layer lamination technology and extending their temperature range.

Source: Quartz