Nanotechnology Used to Create Batteries and Supercapacitors Out of Paper

Stanford researchers have used nanotechnology to produce lightweight batteries and supercapacitors out of paper, a breakthrough that they say could lead to storing energy for large-scale projects or for smaller electrical devices. The scientists coated sheets of paper with an ink made of carbon nanotubes and nanowires, which can be charged with energy. The nanomaterials cling to the paper’s fibrous surface, making the battery and supercapacitor durable, said Yi Cui, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, whose findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Society really needs a low-cost, high-performance energy storage device, such as batteries and simple supercapacitors,” Cui said. The supercapacitor, he said, may be able to withstand 40,000 charge-discharge cycles — an order of magnitude more than lithium batteries. Researchers say the paper batteries and supercapacitors could be used for numerous applications, from hybrid and electric car batteries requiring quick transfers of electricity, to large-scale electricity storage for renewable energy sources, such as wind farms and solar arrays.