The team from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore developed the batteries from electrodes that have been screen-printed on to both sides of a piece of cellulose paper which is then reinforced with hydrogel.
Once the battery has been expended, it can be buried in soil, where it breaks down completely within a month.
In a proof-of-concept experiment, a 4cm x 4cm square of printed paper battery was used to power a small electric fan for 45 minutes. Bending or twisting the battery did not interrupt the power supply.
In another experiment using a 4cm x 4cm battery to power an LED, the scientists showed that despite cutting away parts of the paper battery, the LED remained lit.
The scientists think their printed battery could be integrated into flexible electronics such as foldable smart phones that are already on the market, or biomedical sensors for health monitoring.
Professor Fan Hongjin, the study’s co-lead author, said: “Traditional...