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Smartphones have evolved dramatically since their inception, but the battery tech they use has remained largely unchanged. As we near the peak of what we can do with existing battery tech, there’s a desperate need to come up with new technologies. Luckily, we might already have a promising candidate.
The Era of Silicon-Carbon Batteries Is Here
Lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries have revolutionized consumer electronics since their commercial debut three decades ago, but their limitations are now holding backfuture smartphone innovationsmany are excited to see.
So far, manufacturers have managed to offset the slow progress in battery tech by focusing instead on increasing charging speed and improving power efficiency. However, there’s a limit to how far you’re able to push those things. Now, with the introduction of silicon-carbon (abbreviated as “Si/C”) batteries, the industry is on track to set a new standard.
The fundamental structure of the battery is still the same here: these are still li-ion batteries. What’s new is the replacement of graphite anodes with silicon ones. Since silicon is 10 times as energy-dense as graphite, these newer batteries can hold far more power in the same space.
This is why you might’ve seen a sudden influx ofAndroid phones designed to give you the most battery lifeby leaning on huge batteries. For instance, the OnePlus 13 and the Vivo X200 Pro both come with a 6,000mAh battery, the Realme GT 7 Pro features a 6,500mAh cell, and the Realme Neo7 tops the list with a whopping 7,000mAh battery. This much power would put even gaming phones to shame.
Silicon-carbon batteries also promise slower degradation than conventional li-ion batteries with graphite anodes, potentially improving longevity. And since buyers today choose to upgrade less often anyway, this is a welcome addition.
There are claims that Si/C batteries support faster charging. However, many of the newer phone models with Si/C batteries have slower charging speeds than their predecessors. This could be because manufacturers are being cautious with the new tech and are, for the time being, prioritizing stability over performance.
If Silicon Is So Great, Why Isn’t It Mainstream?
Companies have long been aware of silicon’s potential in batteries, but they have sided with graphite because of silicon’s chemical properties. Silicon swells far more than graphite during charging, and this expansion and contraction can compromise the physical integrity of the battery cell.
The only reason companies have started using it now is because researchers have successfully found a way to make silicon anodes more stable by throwing some carbon into the mix.
However, because this technology is still very new, and the existing manufacturing infrastructure is optimized for graphite, industry leaders may be hesitant to upgrade their facilities worldwide until the tech matures. But waiting too long could result in them losing customers as competitors offer phones with longer battery life.
Raw silicon is extremely abundant in nature, which is great news. But refining it for batteries is a complex and energy-intensive process, leading to higher cost of production. That means we’ll likely see Si/C batteries exclusively in flagships for now.
That said, any new technology is initially expensive and gets cheaper over time through economies of scale, so there’s reason to be optimistic. And knowing the scrappy spirit of Chinese manufacturers, it might not be too long until we see this tech in some premium mid-range phones, too, giving you even morereason to buy a new mid-range over a used flagship.
For most users, longer battery life and slower degradation are far more important than gimmicky new features they might never use. So far, there’s no news about Samsung, Apple, or Google moving to silicon-carbon batteries. However, the hype around the new tech is indication enough that they can’t afford to stay put. The next few years are going to be very interesting for the smartphone industry.
