Paper Batteries: Next Generation Power Sources?
According to an article at the BBC, a team of researchers from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute were able to produce a flexible paper battery. Slightly larger than a postage stamp, the paper battery carries a 2.3 volt kick that’s enough to power a small light. The battery works even when rolled up or folded. The researchers’ next goal is to produce enough voltage to power a car.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute professor, Robert Linhardt, stated:
“If we stack 500 sheets together in a ream, that’s 500 times the voltage. If we rip the paper in half we cut power by 50%. So we can control the power and voltage issue.”
Each battery is packed with carbon nanotubes, measuring one millionth of a centimetre thick, which acts as an electrode. The nanotubes are then embedded in a sheet of paper soaked in ionic liquid electrolytes, which conduct the electricity.
With the relatively high cost of carbon nanotubes, it will take a while before we see paper batteries in the market. Still, it’s a step in the right direction.
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August 15th, 2007 00:27
Interesting. I wonder if they’re easily bio degradable like paper or present the same problems as normal batteries.
August 15th, 2007 00:35
The researchers said the paper batteries could even be used to power pacemakers
August 15th, 2007 03:45
yeh thats how all new inventions start out, for now it will be too expensive to produce but who knows with todays technology it might be the thing of the future in a few years.
August 15th, 2007 03:52
I wouldn’t be surprised if this succeeds. You’re right, with today’s technology, breakthroughs happen rather quickly.
August 15th, 2007 08:02
did you see this:
http://mkv.itm.miun.se/projekt/paperfour/
it’s about TALKING Paper
August 15th, 2007 08:57
@Jos:
Wow, that was great. I’d like to try that out.
August 15th, 2007 13:27
ooh my, it 10 years I wonder what we will be doing with technology
August 15th, 2007 13:34
I just want a teleporter hehe.
August 15th, 2007 14:48
Hey, BB, … can be used
toilet papper for those batteries ?
I mean used T. papper ..
August 15th, 2007 15:19
ooh! that will be cool to have paper batteries at least Nokia won’t have to recall the batteries at that time
@ brown : You’ll get a teleporter soon….I’m working on it
August 15th, 2007 15:37
@Valentin:
Used? LOL
@ReviewSaurus:
Haha I’ll wait for it buddy
August 15th, 2007 15:54
@ Brown : Just wait a bit and you’ll be right sitting in front of computer and I’ll be going to check your computer
August 15th, 2007 16:16
Yes, BB, used.
Just think .. is a plain new biz, no competition, nobody collect it, is free to take yet grab some money to sell. I think that`s what those people have in mind right now, when cost is to big for general use : they “sell” us sh.. papper batteries.
Why use second-hand (used) toilet papper and not new ?
Well, think if the`ll use new and you`ll confise the toilet papper roll with a papper high voltage battery ..
:-)))))))
August 15th, 2007 19:33
Cool. I believe Philips and some others are also working on digital ink on paper (for instance for the newspaper of the future). Now if they would combine these two ideas, they would also have the power problem solved for the digital paper ’screens’.
August 15th, 2007 21:38
@Valentin:
I just hope they’re able to mass produce it in a few years. Then they could get to work on a teleporter 
I think used paper might actually pack a stronger voltage
@Henri:
That’s true
August 17th, 2007 17:53
@Bush Mackel:
They could just use recycled paper in the first place
@ReviewSaurus:
Apple will probably cause trouble for us all once more by using gluing in their batteries!
August 17th, 2007 18:11
They probably will glue their batteries to the units .. just for the heck of it