Scientists invent plastic that can store electricity

London : The battery, which has powered our lives for generations, may soon be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Scientists at the Imperial College London's Department of Aeronautics say they have created a plastic that can store and release electricity, revolutionising the way we use phones and drive cars.

It means the cases of mobiles and iPods could soon double up as their power source — leading to gadgets as thin as credit cards. The technology could also lead to flexible computer screens that can be folded up and carried around.

The material is not really a battery, but a super capacitor — similar to those found in typical electrical circuits.

Even the car of the future could be drawing power from its roof or the door, thanks to the new material.

— Daily Mail