Electric Bikes -N- Scooters Blog

Scientists at Stanford University have developed lightweight, pliable batteries that are so light they are compared to feathers. These ultra-light batteries have been described as supercapacitors and resemble paper.

By utilizing carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires, scientists at Sanford have been able to coat a sheet of paper with ink made of the nanotubes. The end result was a storage device that is highly conductive and low cost, not to mention high performance.

Now, before anyone gets too confused on the difference between batteries and capacitors I need to explain the difference:

1. 1. Batteries are great for storing and holding energy for long periods of time until you use them.
2. 2. Capacitors can store the energy also, but they hold the energy for shorter periods of time, while having the ability to discharge the energy much faster!

According to Stanford studies conducted by assistant professor of science and engineering Yi Cui,  the university researchers designed and created the nano-batteries by using the nanomaterial that easily sticks like ink to fibrous material.  This property makes the batteries far more durable while allowing the batteries to charge and discharge (40,000 charge/discharge cycles) far better than the current state of the art batteries, lithium-Ion.

Some of the benefits of creating these batteries border on the incredible. For one thing, because this material is so thin and durable, you can easily fold the batteries and or crumple them into any shape that you want to.  They have even been soaked in basic solutions or acidic solutions while keeping the performance of the batteries intact.

Of course there are obvious applications for these batteries, especially in the realm of electric types of vehicles like electric scoters or even electric bikes. Because the batteries are so light and thin they could easily be pasted to the frame of and e-bike or electric scooter and this would increase electric output while taking off the extra weight caused by the usual storage batteries.

Here is a clip of the new paper batteries:

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