Paper a battery stand-in, for next gen rechargeable energy storage
Lithium-ion batteries are the researchable power storage devices that meet the energy requirements of today's gizmos, but with all going small to make the gadgets more functional, lithium-ion batteries too fall for nano technology.
Putting together nanotechnology with other things, the researchers in US tout of having shriveled - recreating and repackaging the mechanism of lithium-ion battery into a sheet of cellulose paper.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a sample of a new nanocomposite paper that is actually a storage device, but could easily be mistaken for a mere sheet of paper.
The nanocomposite paper on infusion with carbon nanotubes (which give it the black color), can be used to create ultra thin, flexible nanoengineered batteries that'll be equipped to meet the energy requirements of the next-generation consumer electronics and implantable medical equipment.
The device churned out of paper lacks toxic chemicals that make it environmentally chic. Being lightweight, the paper batteries will sure be a boon for the automobile industry as well.
Features of the paper energy storage device
The carbon nanotubes used function as electrodes allowing the storage devices to conduct electricity. The device functions in a unique combination of both, a high-energy battery and a high-power supercapacitor, which generally are separate components in most electrical gadgets - it also provides long and steady power outlet as compared to a conventional battery.
The device can function in temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and down to 100 below zero, it is completely integrated and can be printed like paper, you could also roll, fold, twist or even cut it into any shape and you will notice no changes in its mechanical integrity or efficiency.
A liquid salt like substance called ionic liquid has been used as the battery's electrolyte - and the device can survive extreme temperatures, as the iconic liquid contains no water, therefore no worries coz nothing is in there that'll evaporate or freeze.
Paper is extremely biocompatible therefore, without adding any electrolytes the device implanted in the body, can function on the naturally occurring electrolytes in human sweat, blood, and urine that activate the battery device.
The material used in the development of the concept is inexpensive, owing to which the team of researchers is working out ways to mass-produce this new hybrid battery/supercapacitor, and hope to eventually print the paper, using roll-to-roll similar to the way news-dailies are printed.
Details of the project are outlined in the paper 'Flexible Energy Storage Devices Based on Nanocomposite Paper' published Aug. 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
[Source: Physorg]
