New Nanotech Battery Technology

TROY, N.Y., Aug. 14 U.S. nanoscientists have developed an energy storage device that resembles a sheet of black paper and might power tomorrow's electronics.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers said their nanoengineered battery is lightweight, ultra thin, flexible, and can meet the trickiest of design and energy requirements.

Along with its ability to function in temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and down to 100 degrees below zero, the device is completely integrated and can be printed like paper. The scientists said their device is also unique in that it can function as both a high-energy battery and a high-power supercapacitor, which are generally separate components in electrical systems.

Another key feature is the capability to use human blood or perspiration to help power the battery.

Rensselaer researchers infused the paper with aligned carbon nanotubes, which give the device its black color. The nanotubes act as electrodes and allow the storage devices to conduct electricity, providing a long, steady power output comparable to that of a conventional battery, as well as a supercapacitor's quick burst of high energy.

Details of the project are outlined in the Aug. 13 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.