Charging a phone or an electric vehicle with a simple blow/puff of air

Our faculty members in the EHMB Renewable Energy and Quantum Nano-technology lab at the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics, Istanbul Technical University are developing batteries that can charged with a simple blow/puff of air. This technology is one-of-a-kind in that it paves the way for future concepts such as charging a phone with a simple blow/puff of air or charging an electric vehicle while it is moving.

The technology is extremely important in that it addresses the energy density limitation of lithium-ion (Li-ion) technologies, which are unable to keep up with increasing energy density demands. ITU's technology is the first to synthesize a functional air breathing system made of nano-engineered graphene aerogels, which are embedded with nanowires along with nanoparticles. This air breathing cathode ensures high performance and very long lifetime, while providing an adequate supply of oxygen while excluding other environmental contaminants (e.g., CO2 and H2O). As a result, the ambient air operation of lithium air (Li-air) batteries is no longer restricted. Energy densities 5-10 times higher than commercial Li-ion batteries can finally be attained. So, we're one step closer to charging our phones with a simple blow/puff of air or charging our cars with nothing but air.