NGK Insulators has been honored with the 2024 Best of Sensors Award in the Power category for its EnerCera rechargeable battery. The announcement came during a special awards ceremony at the Sensors Converge Conference and Expo on June 26, 2024. Questex's Sensors Converge, in collaboration with Fierce Electronics, recognized NGK's contribution to advancing power solutions in the sensors ecosystem for its unique design, market value, and ability to tackle significant hurdles in the industry.
t advancement in power solutions for sensor and IoT applications. This ultra-thin lithium-ion battery is only 0.45 mm thick and weighs approximately 1 gram, making it an ideal choice for space-constrained designs and wearable devices.
One of the features that makes the EnerCera battery stand out is its rapid charging capability. The battery can reach 80% capacity from a fully discharged state in only 14 minutes, addressing the need for quick power replenishment in various applications. With a peak discharge current of 300 mA, it's a good fit for both Bluetooth and LPWA communication needs.
The battery's design incorporates several innovative elements that set it apart from conventional lithium-ion batteries. It uses a semi-solid-state structure featuring ceramics with a minimal amount of liquid electrolyte. This approach, when combined with NGK's proprietary crystal-oriented technology in the cathode electrode, results in enhanced safety and performance characteristics.
The use of ceramic electrodes eliminates organic components, contributing to the battery's impressive temperature resistance. It can operate reliably across a wide range of temperatures, from -40° C to 70° C, making it suitable for many environmental conditions. This thermal stability also translates to low degradation under various usage scenarios, including over-discharging and maintaining a fully charged state.
The EnerCera battery's unique construction allows for efficient lithium-ion conductivity, resulting in low internal resistance. This feature enables the battery to charge effectively even with minimal power input, such as from energy harvesting sources. Simultaneously, it can deliver high-discharge currents to support a variety of sensors and communication modules.
With a nominal voltage of 2.3 V and a capacity of 20 mAh, the EnerCera battery balances power delivery and compact size. Its dimensions of 38 mm x 27 mm x 45 mm allow for integration into slim devices, while its bendability, confirming to ISO 14443-1 standards, opens up possibilities for curved or flexible designs.
The applications for this battery are varied. It's well-suited for sensor devices, tracking systems, healthcare wearables, backup power sources, and card applications. By pairing the EnerCera battery with energy harvesting technologies like solar cells, it's possible to create long-lasting, maintenance-free IoT devices such as indoor position trackers for logistics.
NGK Insulators, Ltd., a Japanese ceramics company founded in 1919, has long been an innovator in ceramic technologies. With its headquarters in Tokyo, NGK has expanded beyond its primary insulator production to develop solutions like the EnerCera rechargeable battery. This award-winning product demonstrates NGK's commitment to advancing energy storage technology, building on a reputation established through previous innovations such as the sodium-sulfur batteries developed in collaboration with TEPCO.
To learn about even more cutting-edge sensor technology, explore the full list of 2024 Best of Sensors Award winners here.