On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:23:00 GMT, CanalBuilder
wrote in
:

How much of a fire hazard would a paper battery be?

http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/...per _999.html

That is an interesting device indeed. Given these quotes from the
article:

Rensselaer researchers infused this paper with aligned carbon
nanotubes, which give the device its black color. The nanotubes
act as electrodes and allow the storage devices to conduct
electricity. The device, engineered to function as both a
lithium-ion battery and a supercapacitor, can provide the long,
steady power output comparable to a conventional battery, as well
as a supercapacitor's quick burst of high energy. ...

Along with use in small handheld electronics, the paper batteries'
light weight could make them ideal for use in automobiles,
aircraft, and even boats. The paper also could be molded into
different shapes, such as a car door, which would enable important
new engineering innovations.

"Plus, because of the high paper content and lack of toxic
chemicals, it's environmentally safe," Shaijumon said. ...

"Plus, because of the high paper content and lack of toxic
chemicals, it's environmentally safe," Shaijumon said.

"It's a way to power a small device such as a pacemaker without
introducing any harsh chemicals - such as the kind that are
typically found in batteries - into the body," Pushparaj said.

I find the article to be somewhat contradictory in its characterizing
a lithium-ion battery as containing no harsh chemicals. And its claim
of using carbon electrodes in a supercapacitor seem very
counterintuitive for a low impedance device. It reads like an April
Fools Day hoax.