Samsung Builds A Battery Using Graphene, Fully Charged In Just 12 Minutes

South Korean electronics giant Samsung recently revealed that it developed a new type of battery using the highly versatile material called graphene. The battery is reportedly capable of charging five times faster than conventional Lithium-ion batteries, which would fully charge it in only 12 minutes. This could have potentially huge implications for mobile devices, electric cars, and the tech industry as a whole.

As Futurism notes, graphene is a wondrous material with a whole host of impressive qualities. It’s strong, durable, versatile, and possesses powerful conductive properties. Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) researchers used these qualities to create what they call a “graphene ball,” which could potentially replace conventional Li-ion batteries.

In the company press release, Samsung lauded the capabilities of the new battery, noting its 45 percent increase in capacity and the 500 percent increase in charging speeds. The South Korean giant is particularly excited about the promising potential of the battery to corner the market in terms of mobile devices and electric cars.

“The breakthrough provides promise for the next generation secondary battery market, particularly related to mobile devices and electric vehicles,” the press release reads.

The effort to develop the method for creating the “graphene ball” was led by Son In-hyuk and the intent was to synthesize a 3D structure of the material to form a shape that roughly resembles popcorn. This would then allow the company to mass-produce the battery material, potentially revolutionizing the energy storage industry.

Since the Li-ion battery was first introduced, the industry has largely stagnated. Solid-state batteries have shown promise in changing things up a bit, but they are often more expensive than their liquid counterparts. What Samsung has managed to achieve with its new battery is significant because it can be a viable replacement to Li-ion at an affordable price.