A thin square of paper can produce enough electricity for a small sensor. Its layers use inexpensive, flexible materials and activate with a drop of water. The dry battery remains dormant during storage. Water dissolves salts embedded in the paper, allowing ions to move between printed conductive layers. The opportunity is less about a spectacular battery than eliminating millions of quiet, wasteful ones in diagnostic tests, environmental sensors, and smart packaging.
Materials
A Battery Made From Paper
Engineers created a flexible cell from paper-based materials that could power a new wave of tiny devices.
By Mara Bell1 min read