Last updated on September 18, 2024
Japanese electronic component maker Murata has announced that it will start production of a new all-solid-state battery this fall. The new battery is not going to make inroads into large-capacity, high-output applications but instead offer a safe non-combustible solution for powering headphones and other wearables. This is an important advancement in non-combustible batter technology and is another step in replacing lithium-ion batteries in consumer devices and eventually high-output applications such as electric cars.
Solid-state batteries are an important advancement because they have higher density, are less prone to ignition and combustion, and could have a chemistry that uses fewer rare earth minerals. Because of these advantages, solid-state battery development is a competitive area of investment and research.
Murata became a major player in the battery market when it bought Sony’s battery division in 2017. The Sony division has been at the leading edge of battery technology since it introduced the first mass-produced lithium-ion battery in 1991. Murata has continued to make significant investments in development and manufacturing that are expected to pay off once production of the new battery ramps up.
The new battery can be installed on a circuit board which gives product designers more flexibility. It will be interesting to see what innovative headphones, tools, and other consumer products result.
