NTU team develops paper-thin biodegradable batteries

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Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore have developed paper-thin biodegradable batteries, aiming to provide a sustainable option for powering wearable electronics.

The zinc batteries are made up of electrodes screen-printed onto both sides of a piece of cellulose paper that has been reinforced with hydrogel.

According to the team, once the battery has been expended it can be buried in soil where it breaks down completely within a month. 

In a proof-of-concept experiment described in Advanced Science, researchers demonstrated how a 4cm x 4cm square of printed paper battery could power a small electric fan for at least 45 minutes. Bending or twisting the battery did not interrupt the power supply.

In another experiment using a 4cm x 4cm battery to power an LED, scientists showed that despite cutting away parts of the paper battery, the LED remained lit, indicating that cutting does not affect the battery’s functionality.

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Scientists think their biodegradable batteries could be integrated into flexible electronics such as foldable smart phones that are already on the market, or biomedical sensors for health monitoring.

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