Nanophysics to the rescue of chargers

Progress is moving forward in leaps and bounds, revealing amazing phenomena and technologies to us time and again. Each new development is better, more efficient and more interesting than the last. But we have to admit that we no longer react to every new invention as enthusiastically as we did to the first breakthroughs, unless, of course, it's something truly extraordinary. The first inventions that really changed the world were the computer, followed by the mobile phone (smartphone).

Although smartphones are becoming more advanced and feature-packed every year, they still have some drawbacks. One of them is how long their batteries last. Usually, the more features a device has, the faster it runs out of charge. This means many of us have to carry various chargers with us almost all the time—which isn't always convenient.



One recent discovery that could help address this problem is the effect of collective quantum interaction. Collective interaction means that a system acquires collective properties through the coordinated movements of its many parts. In other words, researchers have found that a system of nanoscale batteries charges much faster and holds its charge longer than each battery on its own.

Of course, the scientists at Monash University weren't specifically aiming to improve phones (they envision using this effect to create nano-batteries and various mechanisms), but its first practical application may well be in smartphone manufacturing.