Do Quantum Batteries Ever Run Out of Charge?

Key takeaways

• They would come as a blessing to our digital world filled with electronics, where almost everything around us runs on energy.
• More specifically, it’s possible by the storing of excitonic energy in a dark state.
• But if we look at the state at which technology is advancing, it would be safe to say that quantum batteries will be a reality no sooner than later.

Would you believe me if I told you that there’s a possibility of the creation of a battery that would never lose charge?

Quantum batteries sound like stuff from sci-fi novels, but they are batteries that never run out of charge. They would come as a blessing to our digital world filled with electronics, where almost everything around us runs on energy.

What is a Quantum Battery? #

A quantum battery is a hypothetical concept that charges faster than standard chemical batteries. They charge when the quits gain a higher energy state, and the battery loses charge as the quits fall to lower states.

Quits are quantum bits that form the fundamental blocks of quantum theory.

In a way, these quantum batteries will change the way we operate our electronic devices, like PCs or phones, because they would never require charging. It would also make electric cars more accessible since there would be no charge, making them more cost-effective.

These quantum batteries would also help our environment in numerous ways since the lithium-ion batteries we use these days generate heaps of waste. A battery that doesn’t run out of charge wouldn’t cause any non-biodegradable waste, making our surroundings cleaner.

How does a Quantum Battery Work? #

The quantum batteries work on the basic principles of quantum mechanics, a branch of quantum physics that studies the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles.

So, how does quantum mechanics help these batteries achieve such long shelf life?

According to quantum mechanics, all matter either moves as waves or particles. Scientists have thought about using an open quantum network, a structure in which they can store excitonic energy. Excitonic energy is the power harnessed when an electron absorbs an energetic photon of light.

With this model, there will be no energy loss despite the battery being in an open environment. These batteries will be flowing with electrons that must be contained inside a “dark state” so there is no energy loss since the system can’t exchange energy with its environment.

In essence, the system becomes immune to all environmental influences, which will ensure that these batteries always remain fully charged. This “dark state” will (presumably) contain five layers - three conductive (metal or semiconductor) and two insulator layers ordered in a sandwich-like structure. This structure will ensure that the batteries do not lose charge and can last for years and which the scientists describe as the battery being “highly robust to energy losses.”

Do Quantum Batteries Exist? #

Although quantum batteries aren’t yet a reality, many scientists have come up with theories about creating one, but they aren’t getting any viable ways in which we can test it out.

A team of scientists from the universities of Atlanta and Toronto carried out research where they created a blueprint that lists the above ways to harness the power in a quantum battery. More specifically, it’s possible by the storing of excitonic energy in a dark state. A principal investigator of the study Gabriel Hannah explained that a quantum battery is a nan battery meant for nanoscale applications.

This means that even if created, the public won’t use these batteries for a long time since the technology is still relatively new, and putting it for use by the public would lead to severe problems.

Scientists are still trying viable ways to use these batteries since making these batteries is a challenging task. Still, since they have already come up with a blueprint, it won’t be long before they create one in their labs but thinking that the public would use it is not possible soon.

Grapheme vs. Quantum Batteries #

A new generation battery that has been in the news has been the grapheme battery which is a kind of battery that practically charges almost instantly and delivers very high currents.

Grapheme is a material that is a sheet of carbon that is just one atom thick. This makes grapheme a supercapacitor that stores current just like a traditional battery but can charge and discharge incredibly quickly.

Therefore, these batteries would make charging our smartphones a piece of cake, and it would also mean that large devices like an electric car would get charged in no less than 30 mind.

So, if we go through this definition of a grapheme battery, it gives tough competition to quantum batteries. It also comes as a lasting blow that grapheme batteries are more likely to be used sooner since they will be released to the public by 2024, whereas quantum batteries still exist in theory.

But the quantum batteries have the upper hand since they would practically never run out of charge while grapheme batteries would need recharging regularly.

What the Future Holds for Quantum Batteries #

So, are quantum batteries the future of batteries?

Yes, if scientists can produce it needs to be practically applicable for the real world.

Since the batteries would need production in controlled environments, mass production would prove a difficult task. But if we look at the state at which technology is advancing, it would be safe to say that quantum batteries will be a reality no sooner than later.

Related reading

• Getting Started with Quantum Computing: Ultimate Guide
• Glass Chip and New Quantum Architecture: What You Need to Know?
• Google’s Time Crystal Venture Using Quantum Computers

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