HiRezL

There are actually some batteries in development that do just that. As you said, batteries are a chemical reaction. Modern batteries are metal plates in a liquid solution, and the charge comes from electrons migrating from negative plates to positive ones. The max charge, when the battery is freshly charged, is when there are the most free surface electrons in the negative plate. as it discharges, and electrons move across the electrolyte to the positive plate, both plates' surfaces and the electrolyte change chemically, and current drops off.
The new type of batteries they are developing use the same chemistry ( and it is the same basic principle, whether lead-acid, nickel Metal hydride, lithium iron phosphate, etc. Even so called "dry cells" have an electrolytic paste between the plates serving as the liquid), but instead of plates, they are using nano-scale lattices of the reactive metals, and this serves two purposes:
1. The far larger surface area of the metals in a nano-scale lattice as opposed to plates offers energy density that is orders of magnitude greater, and makes the discharge curve almost flat, meaning there will be as nearly as many free electrons on that large surface at the end of the discharge scale as at the beginning; the battery will seem fully charged until it is just dead.
2. Because the nano-lattice is so small(that is what nano means, 1 billionth of a meter!), there is no discharge when the battery is not under load. In normal batteries, electrons are migrating from negative to positive even when you are not taking current from them, the chemical reaction across the electrolyte just increases under load. That's why a battery left on a shelf charged will eventually go dead, even if you don't use it. Batteries using nano-lattice technology actually trap the larger molecules of the electrolyte with the lattices of the metal, and reaction when not under load is almost nothing.

JohnnyJames

Your welcome. I figured it was just some minor confusion, but you were so adamant. All's well that ends well.




Actually, although it's a minor point, here's Scottbee's test with a 2.5Ω load.



I would imagine with a 2Ω load it might actually be a tad lower, maybe for only 4.6W. That translates to 13% less watts. Does it matter? Kinda.

Steampunk

OK, but I know it throws out a cloud of vapor with a good throat hit!

Oot Glit

"Ah-Clem, you have violated Robot's rules of order and will have to leave the future immediately!"

Steampunk

Ah! An apt quote if ever there was!

HiRezL

More news on ultracapacitor hybrid high energy density lithium ion batteries:

Ioxus Raises $21 Million For Improved Power Storage Technology

Steampunk

Is that the company Obungler gave $1.5M per employee, and then FOLDED UP?!?!

HiRezL

I'm going to say no, since they just raised another 21 million today.