I read this article with interest. A seemingly fully disposable battery that is shelf stable, activatable just with a few drops of water, and made from sustainable materials. Sounds brilliant.
The number of applications to which this could be applied are enormous. The author of the article, Anna Blaustein of Scientific American, and one of the inventors, Gustav Nyström, mention a few - diagnostic tests, such as single-use medical diagnostic kits, environmental sensors and smart labels. However, I envision that it would be useful in many other fields of technology. I expect that there will be a number of patent applications filed in the future for related or similar technologies if it becomes more widely available.
Well done Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) for developing this technology. They published a paper on it in Scientific Reports describing this new water-activated paper battery. A copy of it can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-15900-5.
#BatteryInnovation #Sustainability
After trying hundreds of formulations for the different components, the scientists settled on a graphite ink to make the cathode, a zinc ink for the anode and salt-infused paper to create the electrolyte. When the paper is dry, the battery is shelf-stable. Add just a couple of drops of water, however, and the engrained salt dissolves, allowing electrons to flow.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
