A team of researchers at South Korea’s Hanyung University led by professor Cho Jaephil (pictured), has claimed a breakthrough that could extend lithium ion battery charge life up to 8 times current values that means extending laptop battery life to 16 or 32 hours. Such a breakthrough is big news, not just for shiny gadgets but for electric vehicles and micro-generation as well.

The limiting factor in current battery technology is the ability of the cathode material, graphite, to store lithium ions. Cho Jaephil’s team applied a three-dimensional porous silicon, which can hold up to eight times more lithium ions. Patent applications are being applied for, and potential applications in solar panel technology may be next on the Hanyung team’s agenda.