Foam 3D Batteries May Be In Our Future

From effects pedals, to laptops, iPads and cell phones, to computer accessories like the keyboard and mouse, to wireless microphones and even cars, so much of what we do today is built around the battery.

While batteries have improved greatly over the years, there hasn't been a huge leap in technology, at least until now.

An article in MIT Technology Review covers a new battery process called a "3D" battery that's actually composed of a foam. This process is taken to an operational level by a new company called Prieto Battery based on technology developed at Colorado State University.

Traditional 2D batteries have a limited storage capacity and are slow to charge because the electron flow is on a single plane. They also present a toxicity problem due the liquid electrolyte used.

Prieto's 3D battery has more surface area in the same space, allowing multi-dimensional electron movement, which translates to more energy, more capacity, faster charging, and a longer battery life.

The hazardous liquid electrolyte used in standard lithium batteries is also eliminated, as the Prieto battery uses only non-toxic citric acid.

Check out this video for a more detailed explanation.

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How Supercapacitors Could Change Audio

My buddy Nick Batzdorf (a name that should ring a bell with those of you who read recording magazines) wrote a great piece about the new supercapacitors over at marketplace.org. The gist of the article is that the new devices are rapidly revolutionizing energy storage, replacing the traditional chemical battery, which will make a difference in many of the items in our everyday lives, from phones to electric cars.

Supercapacitors beat batteries in every aspect in that they have a greater energy density than batteries or normal capacitors, never wear out, charge up hundreds of times faster than a battery, and are impervious to temperature. That's because they use thin sheets of 1 atom thick graphene to store static electricity instead of relying on the chemical reaction that is the basis of battery operation.

So how could that be a boon to audio? Let me count the ways.

How about high-wattage power amps class-A power amps that are smaller and better sounding because of the smaller and more efficient caps?

How about wireless mics that don't need their batteries replaced after every show because they no longer use batteries and they remain charged for weeks?

How about guitar pedals that don't need batteries anymore and only need to be recharged for a short time every few months or so?

How about improved audio quality on boutique audio gear because of the more efficient caps used in the power supplies and the signal path? 

How about a new evolution of the condenser microphone that has a transient response that we can only dream about today?

I'm sure you can think of tons of other applications, but suffice it to say that supercapacitors can truly mean a breakthrough in both how we power some of our devices as well as audio quality. Of course the big thing in the way at the moment is price (they're 20 to 40 times more expensive) and the fact that they only work at relatively low voltages, since it's such a relatively new technology. This means that most of the above won't be available tomorrow, but what's pricey today has a way of being inexpensive and improved tomorrow. Gear design is about to enter an exciting new era.

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