A Novel Battery Architecture Based on Superhydrophobic Nanostructured Materials

The paper presents the details of a novel battery architecture based on the superhydrophobic nanostructured materials. In a proposed configuration both electrodes of a battery are formed on the nanostructured silicon surfaces that are subsequently treated to render them superhydrophobic, effectively separating liquid electrolyte from the active electrode material. When battery is activated to provide power, a phenomenon called electrowetting promotes electrolyte penetration into the electrode space to initiate electrochemical reaction. Such architecture provides for an extremely long shelf life, instantaneous ramp up to full power, and chemistry independent functionality.