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One drop is enough: Paper battery with water switch

#battery #electronics #internet of things #sensors #sustainability

A team of Empa researchers has developed a disposable paper battery that works with metallic inks and salt - activated by a drop of water. This could be used to power a wide range of small disposable electronic devices with low power consumption.

A disposable battery made of paper.

As Empa reports, the battery consists of at least one electrochemical cell about one square centimetre in size. Three different inks are printed on a rectangular paper strip. Salt is distributed throughout the paper strip, and one of the two shorter ends of the strip has been dipped in wax. One side of the paper is printed with an ink containing graphite flakes, which acts as the positive pole of the battery - the cathode; the reverse side is printed with a second ink containing zinc powder, which acts as the negative pole of the battery - the anode. A third ink, containing graphite flakes and carbon black, is printed on both sides of the paper above the other two inks. This forms the current collectors that connect the two poles of the battery to two wires located at the end of the paper strip dipped in wax.

If you add a small amount of water, the salt contained in the paper dissolves, charged ions are released and the electrolyte becomes ionically conductive. This step activates the battery: the ions disperse in the paper, causing the zinc at the anode to oxidise and release electrons. By closing the (external) circuit, these electrons can then flow from the zinc-containing anode to the graphite cathode, where they are transferred to the oxygen from the ambient air, thereby reducing it. This creates an electric current that can be used to power a device.

More environmentally friendly disposable electronics

What is special about the new battery is that both paper and zinc and the other components are biodegradable. This could significantly minimise the environmental impact of disposable, low-power electronics.

However, the battery still only works for one to a few hours. "But I am sure we can solve this problem by building it differently," said Empa researcher Gustav Nyström.

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Photos: Empa

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a city covered in fog

Drinking water from fog: researchers capture clean water from polluted air

A specially coated metal mesh can extract water from fog and remove environmental pollutants at the same time. With the technology developed in Zurich, drinking water can be extracted from the air even in regions with heavy air pollution.
September 11th, 2023
Carlos Sanchez

A smart path into a sustainable future

Sustainability is no longer a distant dream but a present and pressing reality. Climate change and environmental degradation are forcing companies to take action. They must innovate and implement smart sustainability solutions, says Carlos Sanchez, a renowned sustainability visionary who shared with us the latest sustainability trends that can help build robust, resilient, and sustainable businesses.
September 28th, 2023
Mechanics performing maintenance work on an aircraft

Researchers make non-recyclable plastic recyclable

Swiss researchers have developed a new type of recyclable plastic that could be used in aircraft, cars or wind turbines in the future.
October 2nd, 2023
Recycled asphalt was used on the Lucmanier Pass

More recycled asphalt on Swiss roads

Tests with recycled asphalt on Swiss roads show promising results. In Uster ZH and on the Lukmanier Pass GR, the proportion of recycled asphalt could be increased without any loss of performance, according to Empa.
October 16th, 2023
a photovoltaic system on a house facade

Sun soon to be the most important source of energy

The sun is likely to become the world's most important source of energy before 2050, according to British scientists. This is the result of an analysis of technological and economic data by the University of Exeter and University College London.
November 27th, 2023
A hospital room with two beds divided by a curtain

Germicidal textiles for hospitals

A new process developed by Swiss researchers makes textiles germicidal. In future, this could be used to coat curtains in hospitals.
December 25th, 2023
G.V. Shivashankar arbeitet am PSI und der ETH Zürich

Fountain of youth for cells

Reprogrammed cells allow wounds in older people to heal faster. This could, for example, help burn victims.
January 1st, 2024
A scientist taking a water sample with a bottle

Gentle identification of fish species through their DNA

Identifying fish species in a river using DNA traces: This method was tested in Switzerland. It proved to be simpler and more reliable than the electrofishing method used to date.
January 15th, 2024
pressed plastic bottles

Microplastics fly particularly far and high

Microplastic fibres fly higher and further than previously assumed - even as far as the Arctic.
January 22nd, 2024
A futuristic aircraft with a blended wing body

Aircraft of the future make less noise

In an Empa research project, study participants rated the noise of new types of aircraft as less annoying than the noise of today's aircraft.
April 9th, 2024
the airship flying over a coast

British company produces climate-friendly airship

According to its developers, the British airship Airlander 10 could take off for commercial flights with passengers from 2028.
April 22nd, 2024