Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are commonplace nowadays, and can be found in devices such as mobile phones, laptops, and various gadgets. The batteries that are used to power these devices often use an oxide of metal such as cobalt, nickel, or manganese, which does add to their cost. Now researchers are looking for alternatives to existing lithium-ion metal oxide batteries, and have discovered that wax and soap can help build electrodes that will allow battery developers to explore lower-priced alternatives to thelithium ion metal oxide batteries that are currently sold on the market. The process itself seems quite technical, but if everything works out hunky dory, perhaps we’ll be looking at cheaper and longer lasting batteries in the near future.