PAPER BATTERY  

                                                

INTRODUCTION 

• A paper Battery is flexible,  ultra-thin energy storage and storing device formed by combining Carbon Nanotubes ( CNT ) within a conventional sheet of cellulose-based paper. 
• A Paper Battery can act as both a high-energy battery and supercapacitor.

STRUCTURE 

A Simple Paper Battery construction involves the connection of the following basic components : 

• CNT Layer
• LTO Layer
• Paper Layer
• LCO Layer

CNT LAYER : 

It stands for Carbon nanotube which is the main component of a Paper battery. CNT is the allotropes of carbon made of graphite arranged in a series of condensed benzene rings rolled up in a cylindrical structure. These cylindrical carbon molecules have unusual properties

which are valuable for their use in the Paper battery and various nanotechnology-based devices. These CNT are combined to form a Layer in the Paper battery. 

                       

LTO LAYER :

LTO  stands for Lithium Titanium Oxide. A Layer of LTO is used to create an anode in the Paper battery. 

PAPER LAYER : 

Paper Layer is used to separate anode and cathode.

LCO LAYER : 

LCO Stands for Lithium Cobalt Oxide. A Layer of LCO is used in a Paper battery to create a cathode.

CONSTRUCTION 

Construction of a Paper battery involves mainly the following   steps : 

• Black carbon ink is applied on a cellulose-based paper.
• Black carbon ink is spread on the paper.
• A thin  Lithium film is laminated over the exposed cellulose surface.
• The cellulose  Paper is heated at 80°C for about 5 minutes. 
• The film is peeled off from the substrate. 
• The film acts as electrodes for the Paper battery. One film is connected to the electrolyte LTO and another film is pasted to the electrolyte LCO.
• Now the Paper battery is ready. Its functionality can be checked by connecting an LED on both ends of the battery.

WORKING 

• A conventional battery contains several separate components that produce electrons through a  chemical reaction between the metal and electrolyte of the battery. 
• Paper battery works when the paper is dipped in the ion-based liquid solution. Then a chemical reaction occurs between the electrodes and liquid.  The electrons move from the cathode to the anode to generate electricity. 
• The paper electrode stores energy while recharging within 10 seconds because the ions flow through the thin electrode quickly.

NECESSITY OF PAPER BATTERY 

Today the biggest problem faced by the electronics industry is the size of batteries as gadgets get thinner and smaller day by day. But at a certain point, the battery size and weight create an obstacle. To overcome those obstacles  Paper battery presents the ultimate solution. 

ADVANTAGES 

• It is ultra-thin in size and flexible in nature.
• It also exhibits the property of a supercapacitor (22F- 36F per gram ).
• It is non-toxic in nature and bio-degradable. 
• It is easy to recycle.
• It can also work in extreme temperatures ( -75°C- 150°C ).
• There is no problem of leakage of electrolyte in the Paper battery. 
• There is no problem of overheating in the Paper battery. 
• It can easily be modified into the desired shape. 

DISADVANTAGES

• It has low shear strength so it can be torn easily. 
• CNT Production technique is expensive.
• Nano is toxic for CNT Manufacturering workers. 

APPLICATION 

The paper battery has its application in various fields. Some of them are : 

 

• Tracking devices 
• Blood and sugar monitoring portable devices 
• Printed circuit board ( PCB ) 
• Digital camera
• Calculator and wristwatches and many more