While batteries that power electronic devices are getting smaller and more powerful, the latest development in portable power is literally a new twist.
Power Paper Ltd., a tiny company based in Tel Aviv, Israel, has developed a battery that can be printed directly onto paper, plastic or other flexible material.
The Power Paper battery produces electrical energy much like ordinary alkaline batteries. Two electrodes, or terminals, separate an electrolyte — a chemical compound that generates negative ions. Connecting the battery"s two terminals — say, with a light bulb or a motor — completes the circuit, allowing the electricity to flow and power whatever is attached.
The chemicals used in Power Paper"s battery are a combination of zinc and manganese dioxide — well-known elements used in other conventional batteries. But, Baruch Levanon, chief executive officer and co-founder of the company, says that the exact mix of chemicals is what makes the Power Paper battery unique.
Levanon says the company"s proprietary chemical combination — so secretive that he calls them the "Coca-Cola formulas" — results in battery materials that are like printer"s ink. And unlike conventional battery electrolytes, the Power Paper creation is environmentally safe and doesn"t require a hard metal case typical in ordinary dry-cell batteries. wow...