The frustration of waiting hours for your phone to charge could soon be a thing of the past thanks to an aluminium battery that recharges in less than 60 seconds . And the technology is both greener and safer than current batteries , as well as being flexible . It is the first high-performance aluminium battery that is 'fast-charging , long-lasting and inexpensive ' , according to its designers . The aluminium battery ( pictured ) was created at Stanford University . It is said to be the first high-performance aluminium battery that is 'fast-charging , long-lasting and inexpensive ' The aluminium battery was created at Stanford University , California , and the findings have been published in the journal Nature . Lead author and professor of chemistry at the university , Hongjie Dai , said : 'We have developed a rechargeable aluminium battery that may replace existing storage devices , such as alkaline batteries , which are bad for the environment , and lithium-ion batteries , which occasionally burst into flames . 'Our new battery wo n't catch fire , even if you drill through it . ' Aluminium is cheap and has a low flammability coupled with a high-charge storage capacity . The aluminium battery was created at Stanford University . It consists of a negatively charged anode made of aluminum and a positively charged graphite cathode along with an ionic liquid electrolyte . These sit inside a flexible polymer-coated pouch . And while lithium-ion batteries can take hours to charge , the new battery has 'unprecedented charging times ' of down to one minute . Unlike other prototypes which die after just 100 charges , the Stanford battery can also withstand more than 7,500 cycles without any loss of capacity . It is more environmentally friendly than alkaline batteries , and ca n't catch fire like lithium-ion technology . At present the rechargeable aluminium battery generates about two volts of electricity , the highest achieved yet with aluminium . ' But the researchers said the battery has only half the voltage of lithium-ion technology . But scientists have struggled to make a commercially viable aluminium-ion battery because of the difficulty in finding materials capable of producing sufficient voltage after repeated cycles of charging and discharging . The aluminum-ion battery consists of two electrodes - a negatively charged anode made of aluminum and a positively charged graphite cathode along with an ionic liquid electrolyte . These sit inside a flexible polymer-coated pouch . Stanford graduate student Ming Gong added : 'The electrolyte is basically a salt that 's liquid at room temperature , so it 's very safe . 'Lithium-ion batteries can be a fire hazard . 'In our study , we have videos showing that you can drill through the aluminium battery pouch , and it will continue working for a while longer without catching fire . 'But lithium batteries can go off in an unpredictable manner in the air , the car or in your pocket . Besides safety , we have achieved major breakthroughs in aluminium battery performance . ' And while lithium-ion battery can take hours to charge , the new battery has 'unprecedented charging times ' of down to one minute . Unlike other prototypes which die after just 100 charges , the Stanford battery can also withstand more than 7,500 cycles without any loss of capacity . By comparison , a typical lithium-ion battery lasts about 1,000 cycles . Mr Gong continued : 'Another feature of the aluminum battery is flexibility . The battery consists of a negatively charged anode made of aluminum and a positively charged graphite cathode along with an ionic liquid electrolyte . These sit inside a flexible polymer-coated pouch . It can also withstand more than 7,500 cycles without any loss of capacity . At present the rechargeable aluminium battery generates about two volts of electricity , the highest achieved yet with aluminium . 'But the researchers said the battery has only half the voltage of lithium-ion ( stock image ) 'You can bend it and fold it , so it has the potential for use in flexible electronic devices . Aluminium is also a cheaper metal than lithium . ' At present the rechargeable aluminium battery generates about two volts of electricity , the highest achieved yet with aluminium . ' But the researchers explained the battery has a limited voltage , compared to existing technology . 'Our battery produces about half the voltage of a typical lithium battery , ' Professor Dai said : . 'But improving the cathode material could eventually increase the voltage and energy density . 'Otherwise , our battery has everything else you 'd dream that a battery should have : inexpensive electrodes , good safety , high-speed charging , flexibility and long cycle life . I see this as a new battery in its early days . It 's quite exciting . '
The flexible aluminium battery was created at Stanford . It consists of a negatively charged aluminium anode and a positively charged graphite cathode along with an ionic liquid electrolyte . It sits in a flexible polymer-coated 'pouch ' and recharges in one minute . But it currently offers just half the voltage of existing lithium-ion batteries .