Could Packing Peanuts Power a Smartphone?

April 24, 2015- Researchers have found a way to repurpose packing peanuts into a battery component that could improve charging times.

The main issue with the peanut-sized foam used to ship goods is that they are very rarely recycled.

“Although packing peanuts are used worldwide as a perfect solution for shipping, they are notoriously difficult to break down, and only about 10 percent are recycled,” explained Dr. Vilas Pol, associate professor of chemical and materials engineering at Purdue University. “Outside in a landfill, potentially harmful substances in the peanuts, such as heavy metals, chlorides and phthalates, can easily leach into the environment and deteriorate soil and water quickly.”

Pol’s team has discovered a way to convert packing peanuts into a vital component for lithium-ion batteries – the type of cell found in electrical items like smartphones and tablets.

By heating the peanuts to between 500 and 900 degrees C., the peanuts could be converted into thin carbon sheets. Those materials can then be used to create anodes, the storage units in batteries where ions are held during recharging. Interestingly, the team found that these new anodes charged faster than conventional graphite anodes.

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