Paper Battery (Latest Technology) | Updated April

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Paper Battery is a type of battery that is developed using a very reedy sheet of cellulose, filled with aligned carbon nanotubes. It is a very flexible and Super-thin battery used for storage of energy.

A paper battery can act as high-energy battery as well as Super Capacitor.  It is very flexible as it can be cut, folded or can be molded into any shape as required for any application without affecting its efficiency or functionality.

History Of Paper Battery:

The effort started in August 2007, in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where a research team supervised by Dr.Robert Linhardt, Dr.Omkaram Nalamasu and Dr.Pulickel Ajayan started working on it. This research team was supposed to develop paper battery.

Then at Stanford University, Yi Cui and his research team finally invented the original working prototype of paper battery. The prototype provided 1.5 V as its terminal voltage. This Research took place in December 2009.

Construction Of Paper Battery:

• A common paper of required size is taken.
• Ink (specially used for this purpose) is spread over the paper by using conformal coating.
• When the ink is dried, high contact exterior region is formed between nanotubes and paper using a strong capillary force.
• Now thin layer of lithium film is laminated on the exposed part of cellulose surface. This completes construction of the paper battery.
• Anode and cathode terminals are connected, with aluminum current collectors in order to provide interfacing with external loads once the battery is made.
                                                                                      Fig 1.4

Working of Paper Battery:

1. Due to the interaction of electrolytes LTOs and LCOs, Electrons are produced in a paper battery.
2. At the negative terminal of battery, the electrons are collected which later flow with a connected wire to the positive terminal while discharging.
3. To continue a chemical reaction, Electrons must flow from negative to the positive terminal.

Fig. 1.5

Advantages:

1. It can be used both as a battery and capacitor.
2. It is a highly flexible and super thin device for storage of energy.
3. It is long lasting and Non-toxic.
4. Paper battery is highly efficient.
5. You can have it in different sizes.
6. This battery can be recharged as others.
7. It is light in weight and very economical.
8. You can shape it differently as required.

Disadvantages:

1. It’s very sensitive that it is prone to tearing.
2. Can damage lungs if inhaled.

Applications:

1. Pacemakers (uses blood as electrolyte).
2. Devices in space shuttles.
3. Powered smart card RF id tags, smart clothes.
4. Used as alternate to conventional batteries in gadgets.

Authors

      NIDA AYUB                 

      SANDAL REHMAN   

      MAHIA REHMAN