Yet another company is jumping on the battery advancement train. MIT startup SolidEnergy has been using its 12 employees and $4.5 million in funding to work on a new lithium-ion battery technology to power our devices. While current lithium-ion batteries use graphite anodes, SolidEnergy is swapping those out for ultra-thin metal anodes with twice the density. Without the limitations of how much energy can be stored, our smartphones and other portable electronics could finally have the battery life that we've been wanting.

Not only would the new battery store more energy, but it can also survive hundreds of charging cycles at the same time (Ubergizmo). While graphite anodes can store around 600Whr per liter, SolidEnergy's thin sheet of lithium-metal foil could store 1200Whr. Battery makers have been trying to accomplish this for decades, yet SolidEnergy seems to have unlocked the secret to success.

Most attempts have led to dead batteries, or worse, combustion, due to manner in which Lithium metals react to the electrolytes inside battery cells. In turn, they form compounds, trapping the lithium ions and ultimately, trapping electrical currents. Additionally, this reaction can cause short circuits, that if generate enough heat, lead to ignition. SolidEnergy was able to use solid and liquid electrolytes that, unlike regular liquid electrolytes, are not flammable, and contain additives for preventing the cause of short circuits (Technology Review).

The company's prototypes have not only shown the ability to store double the power by weight, but Engadget claims they are doing so while “retaining 80% of their storage capacity after 300 charges”. Soon, this tech will be adapted to current battery manufacturers, and we could see SolidEnergy's batteries in our mobile devices by 2016.