Graphene batteries are a type of new energy battery developed by utilizing the characteristic of lithium ions rapidly and massively shuttling between the surface of graphene and the electrodes.

　　Nanotek Instruments in Ohio, USA, has developed a new battery that utilizes the rapid and massive shuttling of lithium ions between the surface of graphene and the electrodes. This new battery can compress charging times from several hours to less than a minute. Analysts believe that once the one-minute fast-charging graphene battery is industrialized in the future, it will bring about a transformation in the battery industry, thereby also promoting innovation in the new energy vehicle industry.

　　Development prospects

　　The success of the experimental phase of the new graphene battery will undoubtedly become a new development point for the battery industry. Battery technology is a significant barrier to the promotion and development of electric vehicles, and the battery industry is currently at a stage where both lead-acid batteries and traditional lithium batteries are encountering bottlenecks. If the development of graphene energy storage devices is successful and can be mass-produced, it will bring new changes to the battery industry and even the electric vehicle industry.

　　Due to its unique properties, graphene is known as a 'wonder material,' and scientists even predict that it will 'completely change the 21st century.' Professor Colin Bailey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, stated: 'Graphene has the potential to completely change a vast array of applications, from smartphones and ultra-fast broadband to drug delivery and computer chips.'

　　Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a graphene-based micro-supercapacitor that is not only compact but also charges at a speed 1000 times faster than ordinary batteries, allowing it to charge a phone or even a car in seconds, while also being suitable for manufacturing smaller devices.

　　The breakthrough in micro graphene supercapacitor technology can be said to bring revolutionary development to batteries. The main method for manufacturing micro capacitors is flat-panel printing technology, which requires a significant investment of manpower and costs, hindering the commercial application of the products. However, using a common DVD burner, it is possible to produce over 100 micro graphene supercapacitors on a single disc in just 30 minutes with inexpensive materials, even at home.

　　Seeing the application prospects of graphene, many countries have established research and development centers for graphene-related technologies, attempting to commercialize graphene and obtain potential application patents in industrial, technological, and electronic fields. The European Commission has designated graphene as a 'future emerging flagship technology project' and has set up a special research and development plan, allocating 1 billion euros in funding over the next 10 years. The UK government has also invested in establishing the National Graphene Institute (NGI), aiming to bring this material from the laboratory to production lines and markets in the coming decades.