Transformative technologies demand flexibility in the modern era. Consumers demand that technologies be smaller, thinner, wearable, fireproof, bendable, etcetera. On top of all that, the battery still needs to hold a charge.
In Busan, South Korea, a company named Jenax has been hard at work at revolutionizing the lithium-ion battery. They are ensuring a battery can scrunch, bend, flex, and more. The battery is called the J-Flex. And it looks like this:
Source: Jenax
Jenax says they have batteries as small as 0.5 millimeters that could power sensors, with their biggest battery being a 200mm by 200mm battery. The company says after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles, the cells retain 90% of their capacity.
Creating ultra-flexible batteries that can twist and turn increases the chances of flammability. Lithium-ion batteries are prevalent in many of the technologies that we plug-in to charge every day. Most notably, our smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets.
Jenax has created a non-flammable liquid electrolyte solution for their batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are well known to suffer from a phenomenon known as thermal runaway once the battery gets too hot. The company has 100 patents related to its flexible battery technology. Jenax is keeping mum on how they achieve their level of flexibility, and rightly so, due to the market heating up.
Director of Jenax, EJ Shin, said in a statement, “Liquid is the best conductor for ionic movement, which means it delivers the best battery performance. But because liquid can also be a tremendous fire hazard, many manufacturers try to use solid state electrolyte instead. They sacrifice efficiency and in the case of wearables, comfort and usability, for safety. Jenax has always been focused on delivering the greatest combination of safety and performance. With this non-flammable electrolyte – we’re taking both to the next level – providing peace of mind manufacturers and consumers need with the high performance they deserve.”
Here is a safety test that demonstrates how other lithium-ion batteries fair when undergoing stress tests:
The company says their battery can be used to revolutionize the following battery-powered technologies:
IT wearables
- Smart Watch
- Smart Glasses
- Headset
Health
- Fitness Band
- Medical Device
Fashion
- Smart apparel
- Accessories
Military
- GPS Tracker
- Military Helmet
- Wearable Robot
The company recently showcased their flexible batteries at the Consumer Electronics Show which took place in Las Vegas from Tuesday the 7th of January to the 10th of January 2020.
Jenax showed their willingness to see their battery tech installed into other companies’ applications. They reportedly powered a sensor-lined football helmet developed by HP1 Technologies. Engineers are being called to see where they could implement the flexible batteries in their daily applications.
On the eve of their appearance at CES, EJ Shin explained, “Too many connected products fail to attract customers because they are awkward, uncomfortable, or difficult to use. Hardware designers often tell us that traditional battery limitations – including rigidity, thickness and lack of flexibility – are getting in the way. We created J-Flex specifically to help innovators overcome these challenges and meet consumers’ needs.”
Works Cited
“Jenax Announces Snack & Demo Sessions on Ultra-Flexible Batteries at CES 2020 | Markets Insider.” Business Insider, Business Insider, markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/jenax-announces-snack-demo-sessions-on-ultra-flexible-batteries-at-ces-2020-1028719460.
Zenopa. “Jenax Announces a Non-Flammable Liquid Electrolytes Solution.” Recruitment Within Pharmaceutical Jobs, Medical Jobs, Scientific Jobs, Tech PR Jobs, Zenopa, 3 Jan. 2020, www.zenopa.com/news/1976/jenax-announces-a-non-flammable-liquid-electrolytes-solution.
