Blog: Paper Supercapacitor Could Power Future Paper Electronics

Paper Supercapacitor Could Power Future Paper Electronics
PhysOrg.com (05/21/10) Zyga, Lisa

Stanford University researchers have developed an onboard power source for paper transistors and paper displays. The paper supercapacitor is made by printing carbon nanotubes onto a treated piece of paper. In the paper supercapacitor, all the necessary components are integrated onto a single sheet of paper in the form of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). At first, the researchers found that the SWNTs penetrated the paper through micron-sized pores, which would cause the device to short-circuit. To solve this problem, the researchers coated both sides of the paper with polyvinylidene fluoride, which blocked the pores but still allowed for electrolytes to be transported through the paper, making the treated paper function like an electrolyte membrane and separator without short-circuiting. The researchers printed SWNTs on both sides of single sheets of paper and added electrolytes to form a supercapacitor. The new integrated structure allows for high-speed printing, which greatly reduces fabrication costs and brings disposable, flexible, and lightweight paper electronics closer to reality.

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