Researchers develop biodegradable printed paper battery

Batteries take up a lot of space and are usually difficult to dispose of. Precisely in this regard, the researchers want to take a new approach: they have an ultra-flat approach energy storage which can be printed and biodegradable.

A very interesting approach to new types of electricity storage

It is an interesting basic research now being compiled by scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore contribution And in the beginning
Study in advanced sciences Row: It has developed thin-leaf, biodegradable zinc batteries. Envisioned field of application: In flexible and portable electronic systems one may “someday” offer a space-saving option that is significantly more environmentally friendly.
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Paper Battery

The basis of the new battery is “Hydrogel Reinforced Cellulose Paper”. The electrodes are then printed on both sides using the traditional screen printing process. For “anode ink”, scientists want to find a good combination with zinc and carbon, for cathode ink one is currently trying to use manganese and nickel. According to the researchers, the use of other metals can also be envisaged here.
New battery design and structure

When the printing process is complete, the paper battery is immersed in an electrolyte. In the final step, a thin layer of gold is applied to the electrodes to increase conductivity. The current “proof of concept” finished product is 0.4 mm thick.

strong and durable

Even at this early stage of the trial, the energy storage system can provide very promising results. As explained by the NTU team, a 4cm x 4cm square can run a small electric fan for at least 45 minutes. In another experiment, more practical characteristics were demonstrated: the power supply to the LED was not cut off even by cutting off parts of the battery.

NTU Associate Professor Lee Seok Woo and co-author of the study: “We believe the paper battery we developed can solve the e-waste problem because our printed paper battery is non-toxic and does not require an aluminum or plastic casing to encapsulate the battery components.” This approach is certainly exciting, and now the technology has to prove itself.


Research, battery, development, battery, researcher, paper
NTU