In China, a group of scientists have come up with a type of fiber that may prove to be pretty useful in an era where wireless tech is constantly in demand.
The group from Fudan University, Shanghai revealed in a study published on September 1, 2021 that they've developed lithium-ion batteries in the form of woven fibers, which can be eventually used in creating clothes and other wearable accessories.
In turn, the clothes made out from these fibers could also be used to charge the personal gadgets we carry around with us, like our phones, smartwatches, or small medical devices.
According to the scientists, the fiber batteries are able to hold approximately 85.69 watt-hours of electricity per kilogram, which is a bit more than the capacity of an iPhone 12 Pro Max, which carries a 14.13-watt-hour battery that weighs around 228 grams.
In the published study, the scientists even released a photo of a prototype battery-t-shirt in action, with a cross-section of the shirt showing the lithium ion fiber batteries forming part of the fabric.
IMAGE: Nature
While there have been many efforts to create wearable electronics, the sticking point has always been the inflexibility of lithium ion batteries, which typically aren't bendable or resistant to water.
Currently, options available use more crude ways of carrying power, such as jackets that have designated compartments for a battery – which probably isn't the best way to go about it as things could start to feel bulky.
But the team's latest research might just prove to become a breakthrough in this area, which could open up various possibilities in the market of "smart clothing" items.
A breakthrough process.
Without going into too much technical detail, the scientists revealed that they managed to formulate a process that would allow them to produce fiber batteries meters-long in length, which could retain around 90.5 percent of its capacity even after 500 cycles of charging and discharging.
Even more impressive was the fact that these fiber batteries could still function correctly even after being folded, washed, or pierced with sharp objects. One experiment detailed in the study showed a piece of textile still continuing to charge up an iPad despite being driven over by a 1,300-kilogram car.
IMAGE: Nature
This new development in the team's research may very well prime their invention for near-future commercial appeal, although the team insists that they require more time and research into making the fiber batteries more efficient in terms of energy density.
However, some experts think that there'll be quite a bit of interest in such batteries when the kinks are eventually ironed out.
"You have to put your battery somewhere, with a cable linked to a device," said Zijian Zheng, who works at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University studying wearable electronics. "The advantage of the material published in this paper is that it looks like fiber, so it could be seamlessly integrated into your fabric structure."
If you're interested in knowing more about this invention, you can read the full study here.
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