NEC devlopers paper-thin battery

ZDNET reports NEC has developed a new paper-thin flexible battery that can be recharged in just 30 seconds.

The new battery has been dubbed ORB, for Organic Redical Battery, by NEC, because it uses an organic radical polymer as its cathode.

Because organic radical polymer assumes an electrolyte-permeated gel state it makes the rechargeable battery very flexible. NEC says that the organic radical polymer electrode reaction is extremely fast and the supporting salts migrate through gel state polymer very smoothly. The result is little resistance to the charging reaction and an incredibly fast charging time of less than 30 seconds, making the battery suitable for embedding into smartcards and intelligent paper.

The company also indicates this battery is more friendly to the environment than traditional rechargeable batterie as it does not contain harmful heavy metals such as cadmium, lead or mercury.