First-ever flexible and washable Battery!

The University of British Columbia researchers created the first-ever battery which is both flexible and washable! The battery works when twisted or stretched to twitch its normal length. It even works after tossing it into the laundry! 😳

Wearable electronics are a big market and stretchable batteries are essential to their development,” says Dr. Ngoc Tan Nguyen who is a postdoctoral fellow at The University of British Columbia’s faculty of applied science. This battery was developed by Dr. Nguyen and his team offers a number of engineering advancements. 

In normal batteries, the internal layers are very hard materials encased in a rigid exterior. The University of British Columbia team made key compounds in the case, zinc and manganese dioxide. They made it stretchable by grinding the components into smaller pieces and embedding them on rubber plastic or polymer.

The battery comprises several ultra-thin layers of these polymers wrapped in a casing of the same polymer. This construction creates an airtight, waterproof seal that ensures the integrity of the battery through repeated use.

Let’s hope that this advancement in battery technology would help in coming up with many more inventions in the future.

By Sri Nihal Tammana

Source: University of British Columbia