After 13 years in Canada, he returned to Britain with his family, setting up a company making batteries for ships.

There's already excited talk in industry of making electrical batteries out of buckyballs.

The light metal is used to make high-capacity batteries used in electric cars and such.

"All of a sudden, we have a technology that can make batteries last much longer," Professor Narendran said.

The company also makes batteries for emergency power back-up and telecommunication applications.

Owens ran a company that made batteries for ships.

Even that factory, which makes rechargable batteries and other products, was being brought back on line.

It now employs 5,500 staff and Nissan is also developing a new factory at the site that will make batteries.

Chips also allow manufacturers to restrict who can make batteries that work with specific devices.

Recycling saves resources because recovered plastic and metals can be used to make new batteries.