Scientists Develop Spray-On Battery, Turns Any Object Into Electrical Storage

Scientists at Rice University in Houston, Texas have developed a spray paint that can store and deliver electrical power. This spray-on battery breaks down the elements of a traditional battery and incorporates them into a liquid that can be spray painted in layers onto almost any surface. This means that most objects can be turned into an electrical storing device, such as the ceramic mug shown below.

The electrical paint layers were airbrushed onto the curved ceramic surface of the mug to see how well they bond. Tests were also done on other surface materials such as glass and stainless steel. The paint layers each represent a different component of a traditional battery, which includes two current collector, a cathode layer, along with an anode and a polymer separator layer in the middle.

However, one limitation of the technology is the requirement of a dry and oxygen-free environment when making a new device. The researchers are currently looking into changing this so that the production process can be more efficient and commercially viable. They also believe that the technology could be integrated with solar technology to allow any surface to capture and store electricity.

[via Reuters]