Abstract
Batteries are now one of the most ubiquitous products on the planet with more than 70-billion
produced every year with a value in excess of $38 billion. The race to produce more powerful longer
lasting batteries is an on-going effort involving corporate giants and small start-up companies. For
example:
The portable electronic device market alone is worth hundreds of billions. Multi-billion dollars
industries rely on batteries to manage power. Microbatteries integrated into microchips or even the
structure of materials could quickly become a multibillion dollar market. Electric hybrid vehicles
have demonstrated the ability to get 50 to 60 miles per gallon using a combination of batteries and
small internal combustion engines. In the U.S., the market for hybrid vehicles has been growing at
an annual rate of 80%. The battery electric vehicle has found a myriad of uses, from delivery vans
to commuter cars, urban buses to utility vehicles. More than a million are on the road in Asia. Each
year brings a new crop of battery powered devices. Mundane maybe, but they have become a necessity
in every day life. When you power up your laptop computer, use a portable power tool, look at your
wrist watch, brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush, follow lighted signs to emergency exits
during power outages, start your car or listen to a favorite CD, you depend on a battery.
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