The Age: Smartphones could be charged in less than one minute after scientists at Stanford University invented an aluminium battery so powerful it could revolutionize the industry.

The new rechargeable battery can go from flat to full in a fraction of the time it currently takes to pull in enough electricity to fully charge a phone, laptop or tablet.

While an iPhone 6 takes around two hours to fully charge its in-built battery, if it was fitted with the aluminium power source it would be completely topped up in around 60 seconds.