Paper-Thin, Bendable Batteries in the Future
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The idea of having a flexible, paper-thin battery that powers your mobile devices is not that far-fetched. As a matter of fact, this technology is currently being used in smaller applications, and newer and more powerful thin batteries are in development as we speak. Keep reading to find out more!
The possibilities for a flexible, lightweight battery are seemingly endless. Of course, it will take further development to get to the point where we can throw away our bulky cell phone or PDA batteries and replace them with a paper thin one.
A company by the name of Thin Battery Technologies Inc. (TBT) was founded in 2003. This Ohio-based company began producing paper-thin batteries back in 2005 after about five years of research and development. They currently produce these tiny, paper-like batteries for applications such as RFID tags, trans-dermal drug delivery patches, data loggers, sensors, and displays. They produce Carbon-Zinc electrolyte based batteries that are "green" compliant, and in turn are safe for the environment.
The technology which TBT supplies to the world is extremely innovative and useful. Back in 2006, TBT began working with Cryovac, which is a division of Sealed Air Corp., to help streamline their tagging system. Cryovac was able to use TBT's tiny batteries to tag sensitive materials such as food, blood, and pharmaceuticals, and they could quickly and easily monitor the temperature of these items to keep them at safe levels. The paper-thin batteries provided Cryovac with a reusable solution that would help to minimize waste and monitor sensitive materials more efficiently. TBT claims that their batteries will function properly all the way down to -30 degrees Celsius.
TBT is just one company that is already mass-producing paper thin batteries for commercial use. But is it possible for a company to produce these types of batteries for personal use? Recent studies have suggested that these thin, bendable batteries may have more uses than originally thought. These new applications are currently being studied by various groups around the world, and some companies are already developing these new bendable batteries, which could make the bulky batteries currently in our hand-held devices obsolete.
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