Singapore firm unveils paper batteries that decompose in 6 weeks

Showcased at the ongoing CES 2025 in Las Vegas, the U.S., these batteries offer significant advantages over traditional energy storage solutions.

Flint’s paper batteries use a hydrogel ring that serves as both a separator and electrolyte within a sheet of paper, replacing toxic materials typically used in conventional batteries.

Different types of batteries. Photo from Pixabay

The design helps the battery biodegrade completely within six weeks when buried in soil, leaving no harmful residues. This eco-friendly feature sets them apart from traditional batteries, which can take decades to decompose and often release toxic substances into the environment, according to Interesting Engineering.

"Our battery has the unique ability to be lightweight, flexible and adaptable in shape, offering not just safety but also a significantly lower cost than traditional lithium-ion options," a company spokesperson said.

Flint’s paper batteries have undergone rigorous testing to ensure durability and safety under extreme conditions to prevent leaking, burning and exploding.

They have a capacity of 600 milliampere hours, suitable for various consumer and industrial applications. While their energy output is currently lower than that of lithium-ion batteries, Flint is actively working to enhance the performance.

Production costs are now approximately 10% of that of lithium-ion batteries, and Flint is also scaling up manufacturing efforts to further reduce costs and increase availability.

It plans to commence production at a pilot facility in Singapore, with further manufacturing sites planned for China, India, the U.S., and Vietnam.

The first commercial-scale paper batteries are expected to be available by the end of the year.