Origami battery made from paper

Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, has inspired the creation of an innovative new low cost battery made of paper. Seokheun “Sean” Choi, an engineer at Binghamton University, developed a battery that generates power from microbial respiration, delivering enough energy to run a paper-based biosensor with nothing more than a drop of bacteria-containing liquid. 

“Dirty water has a lot of organic matter,” Choi says. “Any type of organic material can be the source of bacteria for the bacterial metabolism.”

While paper-based biosensors have shown promise for use in remote areas, the existing technology must be paired with hand-held devices for analysis. Choi says he envisions a self-powered system in which a paper-based battery would create enough energy — we’re talking microwatts — to run the biosensor. 

The battery, which folds into a square the size of a matchbook, uses an inexpensive air-breathing cathode created with nickel sprayed onto one side of ordinary office paper. The anode is screen printed with carbon paints, creating a hydrophilic zone with wax boundaries.

The total cost of this potentially game-changing device is five cents.

Click here for source (Binghamton University)

Photo: Binghamton University