Chemistry professor Choong-Shik Yoo, from the Washington State University recently detailed an innovative type of battery technology, one that’s very condensed. This form of energy storage is almost the likes of nuclear power, as far as condensed energy is concerned, although it doesn’t go that far.
The battery is made of Xenon difluoride (XeF2), a white crystal that’s been placed in a diamond anvil cell. Two other diamond anvils are used to produce high pressures in a tiny space, making the Xenon difluoride molecules come closer. Pressure is able to reach a million atmospheres and when this happens, 3D metallic networks structures are formed.
The formation causes compression and stores its power as chemical energy, generating a huge amount of it. We’ll see this technology used in superconductors, super-oxidizing materials and let’s hope not, weapons.
[via gizmowatch]
