🔋New jelly-like lithium battery, quantum-based navigation tech beats GPS, nuclear ships that run for 10 years without refueling

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Lithium-ion batteries power the majority of today’s portable and battery-operated electronics. Now, researchers have developed a stretchable lithium-ion battery that can be stretched, bent, and even cut.

This development comes from the University of California in Berkeley, Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Guangzhou.

Stretchable lithium-ion batteries could usher in a new era of flexible electronics, including soft robotics and wearable devices. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

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MUST-READ

🔋New jelly-like lithium battery from US can survive stabs, cuts

Hydrogels are gel-like materials that exist in a quasi-solid state. This means they can be deformed and still return to their original shape, a key requirement for flexible electronics.

Hydrogel electrolytes are made of networks of polymer chains with crosslinks (hydrogen bonds) holding them in place. They have high water content (up to 80 percent) and salts for conducting.

The high water content helps the hydrogel stay soft and flexible, similar to biological tissues. However, the high water content also creates their biggest limitation.

📍New quantum-based navigation tech beats GPS precision by 50 times

Australia’s Q-CTRL has announced the first real-world demonstration of its commercially viable quantum navigation system.

The system works without Global Positioning Systems (GPS), cannot be jammed, and is already proving to be drastically more accurate than anything else. This is a big deal as many vehicles worldwide (including planes and cars) rely heavily on GPS for navigation.

However, GPS can be jammed, spoofed, or even denied, especially during military conflicts or cyberattacks. This is a growing concern for national security and autonomous vehicles, which need constant, accurate location data.

🚢 US-UK firms plan nuclear ships that run for 10 yrs without refueling

Houston-based Deployable Energy and Queensland’s ship design group Seatransport have announced a collaboration with Lloyd’s Register to develop nuclear power generation for shipping and more applications.

The plan is to harness the power of micromodular reactor (MMR) tech for ships. The companies are planning to develop a 239-foot (73-meter) long rescue vessel, which will have two to five MMRs of 1 MWe (megawatt electric) capacity.

The use of nuclear power for propulsion means that the vessel will be able to operate for up to 10 years without needing a refuel.

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