Nanyang University of Technology develops new technology: converting waste paper into battery components
CTOnews.com, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) scientists from Nanyang University of Technology in Singapore have developed a new technology to convert waste paper into important components of lithium-ion batteries.
The technology converts paper into pure carbon through a process called carbonation, and researchers at Nanyang University of Technology convert the fibers of the paper into electrodes that can be made into rechargeable batteries to power mobile phones, medical devices and electric cars.
In order to carbonize the paper, the team exposed the paper to high temperatures and reduced it to pure carbon, water vapor and oil. Since carbonization takes place without oxygen, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted is negligible, and the process is more environmentally friendly than burning Kraft paper, which produces large amounts of greenhouse gases.
The carbon anodes produced in this way also show excellent durability, flexibility and electrochemical properties. Laboratory tests show that the anode can be charged and discharged 1200 times, at least twice as durable as the anode of the current mobile phone battery. Batteries using anodes made by Nanjing University can also withstand more physical pressure than similar products, and the ability to absorb pressure is five times stronger than similar products.
Compared with the current industrial methods for manufacturing battery anodes, the method developed by Nanjing University also uses fewer energy-intensive processes and heavy metals. Since anodes account for 10% to 15% of the total cost of lithium-ion batteries, the latest method of using low-cost waste is also expected to reduce the cost of making batteries.
The findings were published in October in the scientific peer-reviewed journal Rapid Manufacturing.
CTOnews.com learned that data show that paper waste, including discarded paper bags, cardboard, newspapers and other paper packaging, accounted for nearly 1/5 of the waste generated in Singapore in 2020.
