Nanotube technology could extend mobile device battery life

Can the batteries in mobile devices become thinner and last longer? This has always been the focus of technology enthusiasts. Now, their wishes may soon come true.

Recently, engineers at the University of Illinois in the United States invented a nanotube technology that is expected to significantly extend the battery life of mobile devices while making the battery thinner and lighter.

It is reported that researchers at the University of Illinois have developed an ultra-low power digital memory. It runs faster, but consumes only about 1/100 of the energy of similar memory. By adopting this memory, it can significantly reduce the power consumption of flash memory used by smartphones and other mobile devices to store music, videos and other content.

Eric Pop, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois who led the research team, said that the new technology, combined with some power-saving projects being developed for other components, such as display power saving, is expected to extend the battery life of mobile devices commonly used today by 10 times. "I think that people who have to charge a large number of mobile devices every night will definitely want their mobile phones or laptops to last for weeks or even months," Pop said.

It is understood that Pop and his research team have currently produced low-power memory. They mainly use nanotubes and microscopic carbon tubes that are 10,000 times thinner than a hair to replace traditional titanium or tungsten wiring. The researchers also paired the nanotubes with "phase change materials", which will change shape when the charge is conducted.

The same material is also used in DVDs for storing videos and music. The chemical compound, called chalcogenide, switches back and forth between amorphous and crystalline states when it is conducted by electrical charges carried by nanotubes. These different states are used to represent bits or bits of numbers and are used to store data in flash memory used in handheld devices.

The researchers say the invention uses far less power than flash memory, which stores bits as electrical charges and therefore requires more power. Using phase-change materials only requires a tiny charge to change the material, which will remain in its traditional state until it is conducted again. Pop also said that because there is no need for a continuous charge, there is no risk of erasing the data if the storage device is brought close to a magnet.

In addition, the researchers also pointed out that this technology can be used in any device that uses batteries, such as satellites, communication equipment installed in remote areas, and even many scientific research and military equipment.

However, Pop also admitted that if this technology is really used in smartphones, the battery life will be affected by many other factors, and improving the power saving of some components may not necessarily solve all problems. For example, the increase in the functions of mobile devices may also increase power consumption.