A Beijing-based company launched the “world’s first graphene battery” that can recharge within only 15 minutes, reports said.
Released by Dongxu Optoelectronics, the G-King battery packs 4,800mAh and is said to refill its lost charge between 13 and 15 minutes. That makes it at least 10 times faster than Li-ion batteries commonly adopted in mobile devices.
Dongxu, a 24-year-old manufacturer listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, made the announcement on July 08, Friday, in Beijing.
According to Tech in Asia, graphene is a new type of carbon that is “200 times stronger and six times lighter than steel.”
Studies show that it can change the technology surrounding batteries today by paving the way for a flexible and super-lightweight power source, making future mobile devices slimmer and lighter.
In addition, graphene can provide more power to drones, electric cars and other devices since it discharges energy faster than existing technology.
Dongxu’s presentation, delivered by its chairman Li Zhaoting, showed that the graphene battery can last up to 3,500 charging cycles.
Tech in Asia, however, noted that realizing the applications of this new technology is still “a long way off.”
Dongxu also did not leave much clues as to its plans of putting its product in the consumer level.
Meanwhile, some prototypes have already demonstrated the use of graphene at the Mobile World Congress last February.
A company called FlexEnable showed off a curved display that wraps around the wrist like a watch.
Another maker, Zap&Go, also showcased a “sandwich of 50 thin aluminium foil layers coated in graphene ink,” according to Digital Trends.
The layers result in a huge surface area that enables it to power up more quickly than other technology.
Graphene technology also seemed to have blended well with virtual reality at the MWC. One company invented a pair of gloves made of graphene that could determine temperature and read gestures.
Still, it remains to be seen whether the adoption of graphene in consumer products would take off soon and in the way people had hoped.