A paper battery is an ultra-thin electric battery engineered to use a spacer formed largely of cellulose (the major constituent of paper). It incorporates nanoscale structures to act as high surface-area electrodes to improve the conduction of electricity.
In addition to being ultra-thin, paper batteries are flexible and environmentally-friendly, allowing integration into a wide range of products. Their functioning is similar to conventional chemical batteries with the important difference that they are non-corrosive and do not require a bulky housing.
A paper battery is flexible, ultra-thin energy storage and production device formed by combining carbon nanotube s with a conventional sheet of cellulose-based paper. A paper battery acts as both a high-energy battery and supercapacitor, combining two components that are separate in traditional electronics. This combination allows the battery to provide both long-term, steady power production and bursts of energy. Non-toxic, flexible paper batteries have the potential to power the next generation of electronics, medical devices, and hybrid vehicles, allowing for radical new designs and medical technologies.
Paper batteries may be folded, cut or otherwise shaped for different applications without any loss of integrity or efficiency. Cutting one in half halves its energy production. Stacking them multiplies power output. Early prototypes of the device are able to produce 2.5-volt s of electricity from a sample the size of a postage stamp.
Development
The creation of this nanocomposite paper drew from a diverse pool of disciplines, requiring expertise in materials science, energy storage, and chemistry. In August 2007, a research team (led by Drs. Robert Linhardt; Pulickel Ajayan; and Omkaram Nalamasu) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute developed the paper battery. Victor Pushparaj, along with Shaijumon M. Manikoth, Ashavani Kumar, and Saravanababu Murugesan, were co-authors and lead researchers of the project. Other co-authors include Lijie Ci and Robert Vajtai.
This cellulose based spacer is compatible with many possible electrolytes. Researchers used ionic liquid, essentially a liquid salt, as the battery electrolyte, as well as naturally occurring electrolytes such as human sweat, blood, and urine. Use of an ionic liquid, containing no water, would mean that there would nothing in the batteries to freeze or evaporate, potentially allowing operation in extreme temperatures.
Durability
Paper batteries are alleged to look, feel and weigh the same as ordinary paper because its components are molecularly attached to each other: the carbon nanotubes print is embedded in the paper, and the electrolyte is soaked into the paper.
Uses
The paper-like quality of the battery combined with the structure of the nanotubes embedded within gives them their light weight and low cost, making them ideal for portable electronics, aircraft, automobiles, and toys (such as model aircraft), while their ability to use electrolytes in the blood make them potentially useful for medical devices such as pacemakers, medical diagnostic equipment, and drug delivery transdermal patches. A German healthcare company called KSW Microtech is already using the battery to power monitoring of the temperature of blood supplies.
The medical uses are particularly attractive because the batteries do not contain any toxic materials and can be biodegradable, unlike most chemical cells.
Paper battery technology can also be used in supercapacitors.
In addition to being ultra-thin, paper batteries are flexible and environmentally-friendly, allowing integration into a wide range of products. Their functioning is similar to conventional chemical batteries with the important difference that they are non-corrosive and do not require a bulky housing.
A paper battery is flexible, ultra-thin energy storage and production device formed by combining carbon nanotube s with a conventional sheet of cellulose-based paper. A paper battery acts as both a high-energy battery and supercapacitor, combining two components that are separate in traditional electronics. This combination allows the battery to provide both long-term, steady power production and bursts of energy. Non-toxic, flexible paper batteries have the potential to power the next generation of electronics, medical devices, and hybrid vehicles, allowing for radical new designs and medical technologies.
Paper batteries may be folded, cut or otherwise shaped for different applications without any loss of integrity or efficiency. Cutting one in half halves its energy production. Stacking them multiplies power output. Early prototypes of the device are able to produce 2.5-volt s of electricity from a sample the size of a postage stamp.
Development
The creation of this nanocomposite paper drew from a diverse pool of disciplines, requiring expertise in materials science, energy storage, and chemistry. In August 2007, a research team (led by Drs. Robert Linhardt; Pulickel Ajayan; and Omkaram Nalamasu) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute developed the paper battery. Victor Pushparaj, along with Shaijumon M. Manikoth, Ashavani Kumar, and Saravanababu Murugesan, were co-authors and lead researchers of the project. Other co-authors include Lijie Ci and Robert Vajtai.
This cellulose based spacer is compatible with many possible electrolytes. Researchers used ionic liquid, essentially a liquid salt, as the battery electrolyte, as well as naturally occurring electrolytes such as human sweat, blood, and urine. Use of an ionic liquid, containing no water, would mean that there would nothing in the batteries to freeze or evaporate, potentially allowing operation in extreme temperatures.
Durability
Paper batteries are alleged to look, feel and weigh the same as ordinary paper because its components are molecularly attached to each other: the carbon nanotubes print is embedded in the paper, and the electrolyte is soaked into the paper.
Uses
The paper-like quality of the battery combined with the structure of the nanotubes embedded within gives them their light weight and low cost, making them ideal for portable electronics, aircraft, automobiles, and toys (such as model aircraft), while their ability to use electrolytes in the blood make them potentially useful for medical devices such as pacemakers, medical diagnostic equipment, and drug delivery transdermal patches. A German healthcare company called KSW Microtech is already using the battery to power monitoring of the temperature of blood supplies.
The medical uses are particularly attractive because the batteries do not contain any toxic materials and can be biodegradable, unlike most chemical cells.
Paper battery technology can also be used in supercapacitors.
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