Breakthrough battery holds 4x charge of smartphone batteries at fraction of the cost

Sodium-sulphur batteries are also far less toxic as they are made from sea water

Researchers in Australia claim a low-cost sodium-sulphur battery holds four times the charge of lithium-ion batteries found in smartphones (Getty Images/ iStock)

Researchers have created a new type of battery that holds four times the amount of energy as conventional lithium-ion batteries, at a fraction of the cost.

Using a new technique to build sodium-sulphur batteries, a team from the University of Sydney in Australia was able to create a super-high capacity and ultra-long life battery.

The sodium-sulphur battery was made with molten salt that can be processed from sea water, meaning it is also far less toxic and environmentally damaging than the lithium-ion batteries currently found in everything from smartphones to electric cars.