Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have worked out a technique of recharging lithium ion batteries in a significantly quicker time. This implies that the new lithium battery know-how would bring about such a rapid charging of the battery that it would take only a few seconds rather than the earlier required minutes or even hours!

The technology of quick recharge of battery resulted from the researchers’ discovery that ions actually shuttle across the battery at a fairly rapid pace. Technically speaking, MIT’s Byoungwoo Kang and Gerbrand Ceder effectively changed the makeup of regular lithium ion batteries by building nanoparticle clumps and combining the usual concoction with carbon and other materials.

Since the method evolved makes use of common materials, it is highly likely that the technique could hit the marketplace in about two years!

Given the widespread use of lithium ion batteries, the practical application of the new battery recharging system would also be exceedingly pervasive – to include cell phones, electric cars, laptops, and portable gaming systems.

Expressing excitement about the improvement their discovery would bring to the electric cars in particular, the research team said in their Nature paper: “The ability to charge and discharge batteries in a matter of seconds rather than hours may open up new technological applications and induce lifestyle changes.”