Driving the $9.1bm mobile battery market

By 2010 the market for batteries for mobile electronics, communications and computing is expected to reach $9.1bn says a new report from NanoMarkets, LC.

While lithium-ion batteries from firms such as Energizer, Gillette (Duracell), Matsushita, Sony, Toshiba and Ultralife will continue to be the dominant power source for mobile devices, emerging applications and materials are creating major new opportunities for alternative battery technologies.

Three opportunities pinpointed in the report include:

• Lithium-polymer batteries. The growth of smartcards, RFIDs and disposable electronics will drive the market for lithium-polymer batteries, which are expected to reach about $1 billion in sales by 2010. Other sectors that are expected to see rapid growth in the use of lithium-polymer batteries include military, medical and slimline smartphones. Toshiba and others are building new kinds of lithium batteries that combine the best of the lithium-ion and polymer types.

• Collaborations with fuel cell firms. According to NanoMarkets, mobile fuel cells are closer to market than many battery companies think. Fuel cells will initially serve as mobile battery chargers or they will require batteries to buffer against power spikes -- so the relationship between batteries and fuel cells will be synergetic rather than competitive. Therefore, now is the time for battery companies to forge alliances with fuel cell makers that cover both product development and supply chain issues -- mobile fuel cell makers will be in need of established distribution channels for disposable fuel cell cartridges.

• Better batteries through chemistry. Lithium-based batteries have been unable to keep up with the growing power requirements of mobile devices. However, NanoMarkets believes that the latest developments in nanostructures and thin films will create considerably improved performance metrics for mobile batteries. For example, high aspect ratio nanomaterials with small diameters enable the battery to recharge faster. These new nano-enabled batteries are still too expensive for widespread use, although this is expected to change in the next few years as volume sales begin to ramp up. Major firms, such as Cabot, are committed to providing improved materials for batteries, along with smaller companies such as Enable IPC, Front Edge Technologies, mPhase, NanoEner Technologies, Power Paper and Solicore.

Web: http://www.nanomarkets.net