The Brit researchers stumbled across the new material, called OSPC-1, that is also less likely to explode as current phone batteries.
They now hope the material will double lithium battery capacity as it is able to store a huge volume of lithium ions.
Abbie Trewin, from Lancaster University, told the Times: “We wanted to try and make a new form of carbon, but whereas diamond is non-conducting, we found this was not.
“We thought, ‘Would it be good for batteries?’ We tested its uptake of lithium ions and were pleasantly surprised.”
The new carbon doesn’t expand and contract with each charge – unlike the current graphite batteries – which is the process that kills phone battery life.
It also didn’t produce the tendrils of lithium that can build up and explode like the material currently used.
Dr Trewin said: “Your battery could last longer than the phone.”
Although the research, published in Angewandte Chemie, is in its early stages, it is hoped the new carbon will be developed further in the future.
