World's first battery fuelled by air

Scientists say the revolutionary 'STAIR' (St Andrews Air) batteries can now pave the way for a new generation of electric vehicles, portable computers and mobile phones.

The cells are charged in a traditional manner, but when power is used or "discharge" an open mesh portion of the battery sucks oxygen from the ambient air. This oxygen reacts with a porous carbon component inside the battery, which creates more energy and helps to always "free" in the cell when it becomes discharged.

By replacing the traditional chemical constituents, lithium cobalt oxide, the porous carbon and oxygen drawn from the air, the cell much easier than current batteries.

And as the vicious circle of air helps re-charge the battery as it is used, it has a greater storage capacity than other similar sized cells and can send power up to 10 times longer.

Professor Peter Bruce of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews, said: "The benefits are much smaller and lighter, so better for the transport of small applications.

"The size is also critical for anyone trying to develop electric cars that they want to keep weight down as much as possible.

"Storage is also important in the development of green power. You have to save electricity because wind and solar are intermittent."