A team of researchers from the Swiss research institute Empa has developed a disposable paper battery that is activated by water. It can be used to power a wide range of low-power electronics, such as smart tags for item tracking, various sensors, and medical devices. At the same time, the impact on the environment is minimized. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The battery is a piece of paper 1 cm in size, on one side of which ink containing graphite (cathode) is applied, and on the other side – ink containing zinc (anode). Topped with a layer of paint with graphite and soot. Ordinary salt was also applied over the entire surface of the paper, and wax along the edges, with which two wires are attached. If you add a few drops of water, the salt crystals dissolve and release charged ions that activate the battery. As a result, the zinc in the ink is oxidized, releasing electrons, and when the circuit is closed, they are transferred from the anode to the cathode. These reactions (oxidation and reduction) generate an electrical current that can be used to power some low-power device.
To demonstrate the capabilities of a paper battery, the team combined two cells into one to increase operating voltage and used their design to power an LCD alarm clock. The experiment showed that after adding two drops of water, the battery started up within 20 seconds and reached a stable voltage of 1.2V. The voltage of a standard AA alkaline battery is 1.5V. when the researchers added two more drops of water, the battery maintained a stable operating voltage of 0.5 V for an hour.
Unlike many standard batteries that use metal foil, the new development allows only the amount of zinc to be added to the ink that is actually needed for a particular application. This battery has one significant drawback – the paper dries quickly, but scientists suggest that this problem can be solved.
Source: Trash Box
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