Researchers develop bendable, paper-based battery

Nah, the researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute won't be crowned the first to develop a flexible (or paper-based, for that matter) battery, but their minuscule prototype "is an integrated device, not a combination of pieces" as others typically are. The battery uses "paper infused with an electrolyte and carbon nanotubes that are embedded in the paper," and could eventually be utilized in combination with solar cells or "scaled up and shaped into something like a car door, offering moving electrical storage and power when needed." Currently, however, the wee samples can release just "2.3-volts, or enough to illuminate a small light," but the idea of using these things to power pacemakers and the like isn't that far fetched.

[Via BBC, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Ignatius Posted Aug 14th 2007 1:07PM]

Well, hell, here's hoping we can throw these on electric cars to get an extra boost. Imagine billions of these things used in conjunction with solar cells, barely any weight added and maybe 20-30 miles extra simply for keeping it parked in the sun.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 14th 2007 1:07PM]

It's things like this that have me convinced we're finally on the verge of having all those awesome gadgets writers have been dreaming up for a century.

It's a very pre-exciting time to be alive.

Hurry up already science!

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 14th 2007 1:32PM]

so... can it explode?

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 14th 2007 1:41PM]

Probably... but the car bomb is old tech.

[compubasic Posted Aug 14th 2007 1:44PM]

Go Red Hawks!!! Class of '09 (or here's to hoping...)

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 14th 2007 2:09PM]

bah they are called Engineers not Red Hawks! go class of '08!

[compubasic Posted Aug 14th 2007 2:17PM]

Eh whatever, let's just stick with Puckman and keep it simple. Bottom line, Clarkson still sucks.

[solarwater Posted Aug 14th 2007 6:49PM]

Its engineers because hockey is all that matters anyway!! (class of '10)

[mr nimblewick Posted Aug 14th 2007 2:15PM]

Two questions:

1. Can I eat this?

2. If so, will give me enhanced power?

[Dinochicken Posted Aug 14th 2007 3:02PM]

Better yet imagine this combined with ePaper and an Info-Mica hard drive to make a paper like eReader. BTW whatever happened to the guys who invented Info-Mica (flexible translucent storage size of a postage stamp)?

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 14th 2007 5:47PM]

So essentially it's Gatorade and Nanotubes? Does that mean you can run a marathon on it?

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 16th 2007 11:03AM]

2.3V? the voltage is irrelevant, an AA is only 1.5V. Ma/Hours is the measure of battery life.