Technology

Paintable Power: Researchers Develop Spray-On Battery

As evidenced by the weekend storms in Washington, D.C., where metro-area residents could be found anywhere that had electricity and an outlet hooking up their cellphones, laptops and tablets to charge the battery — for example, the hallway leading to the shopping mall bathrooms — we are entirely dependent on electricity to charge these types of batteries.

But, as PC World points out, researchers may have taken a step toward a wall or other non-traditional surface powering your laptop.

It‘s the paint that’s the key. Rice University researchers developed a lithium-ion battery in paint form, meaning it could be sprayed onto walls. According to the university release, the five layers found in a “traditional” battery  – two current collectors, a cathode, an anode and a polymer separator – were sprayed onto different surfaces – bathroom tiles, flexible polymers, glass, stainless steel and a beer stein.

Rice University Researchers Develop Spray On Lithium Ion Batteries

(Image: Neelam Singh/Rice University)

Rice University Researchers Develop Spray On Lithium Ion Batteries

(Image: Rice University video screenshot)

Pairing this technology with a solar cell, the energy created from the light fully charges the batteries, meaning electricity would not necessarily be integral in refueling the batteries. When fully charged, according to the release, the batteries were able to power light-emitting diodes for six hours.

Lead author of the study Neelam Singh said that this innovation, for which the team has filed a patent, is a “paradigm changer.”

“This means traditional packaging for batteries has given way to a much more flexible approach that allows all kinds of new design and integration possibilities for storage devices,” added materials scientist and Rice professor Pulickel Ajayan. “There has been lot of interest in recent times in creating power sources with an improved form factor, and this is a big step forward in that direction.”

Watch the researchers explain their technique:

Singh said that this technology would be relatively easy for manufacturing to incorporate, as many industries already use spray painting equipment. The team is also looking at electrolytes to make it easier to paint batteries in open air alone.

Read more about the technology here.

(H/T: PC World)

Comments (11)

  • Mr.Fitnah
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 6:37pm

    I bet they could roll a few up into a tube shape and I could use them in a radio or flash light.

    Report Post » Mr.Fitnah  
  • tharpdevenport
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 5:13pm

    Forget painting laptops, couldn’t we — if and when this becomes cheaper — paint HOUSES — and supplement the electricity, lowering power bills?

    Report Post » tharpdevenport  
  • lylejk
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 4:40pm

    I saw this at another forum that I frequent. If you combine this technology with e-Paper, the we are a stones throw away from a Minority Report magazine (or Harry Potter Newspaper). The future is wild. Can’t wait to see a single sheet magazine that you can browse by swiping your hand over the paper. May even be used multiple times so good for the environment too (for those tree huggers out there; lol). :)

    Report Post » lylejk  
  • Steve28
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 9:51am

    If cheap solar cells could recharge the batteries for use of home power this would be great depeding on the life expectancy of the batteries. That would be the key to the cost. I’m sure with all the new technologies over the next 50 years things will change, but I also remember getting excited about solar when I was a kid and now 40+ years later it has come a long way but just a very small part of the energy needs due to cost per kilowat produced. Will this be any different? Time will tell.

    Report Post »  
  • Mr Sanders
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 9:39am

    I had a feeling this type of layered emulsion was possible – this is fantastic – fantastic!! And when you couple it with solar – this is where solar can shine & make sense.

    I do wonder why some of these devices were not charged by simple built-in motion chargers? Make sense when you have a cellphone for instance.

    Though I’m glad this type of breakthrough has been made, and I’m no scientist, I have a few questions though.
    1. When the wall has to come down – how do you dispose of the material(s)?
    2. Are the materials recyclable?
    3. Will drywall have to be upgraded to accept this material(s)?
    4. Toxicity of install to installers?
    5. If in a hallway or corridor can “arcing” occur if some unforeseen surge event happens?
    6. If enough of this material(s) is placed in a building, say a mall for instance, will it create another layer in the fields we live in today? Like the multi-layers of RF/MWv frequencies?
    7. What’s the life cycle?
    8. Durability – Will it still charge if it is scuffed, scratched, or gouged, like in a commercial or retail setting?

    These are just a few. I think these questions, in general, should be asked ‘before’ used in-masse. Sometimes products are rushed to market not even knowing answers to the questions above or what will be the effect(s) to Man and the environment around us; short & long term effects. Not trying to be a kill-joy or downer to the excitement of this discovery but we have to, I think, examine the net good or bad of wha

    Report Post » Mr Sanders  
  • T-2
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 9:31am

    This is great! and best of all Rice is a private university.

    Report Post »  
  • sWampy
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 9:21am

    This is the kind of technology we need, printed solar cells, and super capacitors. We need to spend money on researching these, not building 50 year old inefficient solar cells and batteries, forced down our throats to make the rich richer, while damaging the environment, and bankrupting the middle class.

    Report Post »  
  • biffo
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 9:19am

    Please do not use black paint to avoid producing racist batteries.

    Report Post »  
  • Steve28
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 9:12am

    Another way they could do this is use a 3D printer. You could have the material on separate printer heads and applied in layers as thick as needed. Not sure it would be better or not.

    Report Post »  
  • love the kids
    Posted on July 3, 2012 at 9:11am

    Mabey they could paint the widmills with this so they actually do something, but i’m sure the environmentalist will get the paint labeled as a hazardous waste.

    Report Post »  
    • Bigolfascist
      Posted on July 3, 2012 at 10:51am

      I‘m actually surprised that the environmentalists support the huge windmill farms I’ve seen in the western states (really destroys the natural beauty of the desert), and in Europe. There are environmental impacts, but, because it was their idea, those are minimal, no doubt (Move along; nothing to see here.), and turbine farms can be designed to be SO esthetically pleasing to the eye. Yeah, they say that, really! There are not just turbines stretching into the air catching wind and magically powering little Suzie’s EZ-Bake Oven through the air. There have to be cable infrastructure, transformers from the turbines cabling to transport the electricity to electric grids, etc. I had to shut down a government test site in Arizona because a sidewinder was discovered in the test area. It had to be removed before testing and associated construction could continue! Yet, no protests or concerns about constructing wind farms. Guess that is selective environmental protection.

      Report Post » Bigolfascist  

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