PAPER BATTERY FOR CHEAP POWER

Dip Ordinary Paper Into Ink Infused With Nanotubes and Nanowires to Create an Instant Battery
December 8, 2009 ("Highly Conductive Paper for Energy Storage Devices" in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences via Science Daily)

"Stanford scientists are harnessing nanotechnology to quickly produce ultra-lightweight, bendable batteries and supercapacitors in the form of everyday paper.

"Simply coating a sheet of paper with ink made of carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires makes a [low-cost] highly conductive storage device…such as batteries and simple supercapacitors…Like batteries, capacitors hold an electric charge, but for a shorter period of time…[though] capacitors can store and discharge electricity much more rapidly than a battery…"

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"…[N]anomaterial energy storage devices [had previously been created] using plastics…[N]ew research shows that a paper battery is more durable because the ink adheres more strongly to paper (answering the question, "Paper or plastic?"). What's more, you can crumple or fold the paper battery, or even soak it in acidic or basic solutions, and the performance does not degrade…[Burning has not yet been tested]…"

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"The flexibility of paper allows for many clever applications…[Researchers have] demonstrated the battery…by connecting it to an LED (light-emitting diode), which glowed brightly.

"A paper supercapacitor may be especially useful for applications like electric or hybrid cars, which depend on the quick transfer of electricity. The paper supercapacitor's high surface-to-volume ratio gives it an advantage…[as a] low-cost, flexible electrode for any electrical device...[T]he biggest impact may be in large-scale storage of electricity on the distribution grid. Excess electricity generated at night, for example, could be saved for peak-use periods during the day. Wind farms and solar energy systems also may require storage…"