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Batteries were long bulky and heavy. Now, a new cutting-edge battery is revolutionising the field. It is thinner than a millimetre, weighs less than a gram, and can be produced cost-effectively through a printing process.

The printable battery was developed by a research team led by Prof. Dr. Reinhard Baumann of the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS in Chemnitz together with colleagues from the TU Chemnitz and Menippos GmbH. “Our goal is to mass produce the batteries at a price in the single figure cent range,” says Dr. Andreas Willert, group manager at ENAS.

The characteristics of the battery differ significantly from those of conventional batteries. The battery contains no mercury and is in this respect environmentally friendly. Its voltage is 1.5 V, which lies within the normal range. By placing several batteries in a row, voltages of 3 V, 4.5 V and 6 V can also be achieved. The new type of battery is made of various layers: a zinc anode and a manganese cathode, among others. Zinc and manganese react with each another to produce electricity. However, the anode and the cathode layer dissipates gradually during this chemical process. Therefore, the battery is suitable for applications which have a limited life span or a limited power requirement, for instance greeting cards.

Further information: http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/