Issue 3, 2024

Rare-metal-free high-performance water-activated paper battery: a disposable energy source for wearable sensing devices

Abstract

Lightweight, thin paper-based devices are attracting attention due to their portability, lower metal and plastic use, and smaller environmental impact when discarded. For example, paper-based thin diagnostic devices can be mass-produced and their environmental impact after disposal is low, making them promising rapid diagnostic devices for diseases and infectious diseases, especially in developing countries. This report describes a high-performance paper battery activated by water composed of a Mg–air battery with a neutral electrolyte and a safe, high-performance pigment-based electrocatalyst. The paper battery was fabricated by bonding Mg foil to paper and forming a cathode catalyst and gas diffusion layer (GDL) directly on the opposite surface. The fabricated paper battery achieved an OCV of 1.8 V, a 1.0 V current density of 100 mA cm−2, and a maximum output of 103 mW cm−2. The safety of materials used in the paper battery was also examined. Furthermore, applications of the battery in wearable sensing devices, such as a pulse oximeter (SpO2 sensor) and a GPS logger, were also demonstrated.

Graphical abstract: Rare-metal-free high-performance water-activated paper battery: a disposable energy source for wearable sensing devices

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Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 feb 2024
Accepted
01 mar 2024
First published
18 mar 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024,1, 435-442

Rare-metal-free high-performance water-activated paper battery: a disposable energy source for wearable sensing devices

K. Ishibashi, S. Ono, J. Kamei, K. Ito and H. Yabu, RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, 1, 435 DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00039K

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