Waste paper converted into electrodes for rechargeable batteries

To carbonise the paper, the research team at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) exposed the paper to high temperatures, which reduces it to pure carbon, water vapour and oils that can be used for biofuel. As carbonisation takes place in the absence of oxygen, the process emits negligible amounts of carbon dioxide, and the process is claimed to be a greener alternative to disposing of kraft paper through incineration.

According to NTU, the carbon anodes also demonstrated superior durability, flexibility, and electrochemical properties. Laboratory tests showed that the anodes could be charged and discharged up to 1,200 times, and withstand more physical stress than their counterparts, absorbing crushing energy up to five times better.

The NTU-developed method also uses less energy-intensive processes and heavy metals compared to current industrial methods of manufacturing battery anodes. As the anode is worth 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the total cost of a lithium-ion battery, this latest method, which uses a low-cost waste material, is expected to also bring down the cost of manufacturing them.