The pulp and paper industry have long had to contend with negative reports of doom and gloom for their manufacturing days. And to be clear, some in the industry who haven’t been able to adapt to the times have gone out of business. There is less call for printed newspapers and forms now, to be certain. But the future uses of paper go far beyond reading material. For those who have stayed the course, these are actually exciting times ahead, where paper-based supercapacitors might just be the next big thing in energy storage – flexible batteries!

Researchers from the United States and Korea have worked on developing a power source for wearable devices that uses paper dipped in gold nanoparticles to create conductive paper that can then be layered with other energy-storing materials like manganese oxide. The result is a capacitor that can be folded thousands of times without affecting conductivity – it even works when crumpled!

Researchers are excited about the possibility of this sort of supercapacitor, because it can be used for new opportunities in biomedical sensors, consumer and military electronics and other applications. The results are expected to easily be scaled up, opening a whole new opportunity to those in the paper and pulp industry.

Komax has long held partnerships in innovation with businesses in the paper and pulp industry, because we know what a difference an innovative approach to manufacturing can make for an industry concerned about handling waste product, minimizing energy costs and improving efficiency. Our starch cookers and steam heaters have helped make the difference in the industry. How can Komax help your industry capitalize on exciting advances in technology?