Sweden’s Digital Cellulose Center is Developing Paper Supercapacitors

Printed electronics have been suggested for a wide range of applications. Perhaps one of the most interesting and innovative possibilities is a paper supercapacitor, capable of storing and releasing energy. The capacitor would be both thin and flexible, and ideal for applications ranging from the IoT to building walls.

The Digital Cellulose Center (DCC), a competence center coordinated by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, has already developed prototypes. The competence center is run by RISE, Linkoping University and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and has 14 industrial partners. The DCC is working on numerous projects, including sensors, bio-medical devices and energy harvesting. It has also formed spin-outs, including Cellfion, which produces battery membranes from cellulose.

Dr. Jesper Edberg, scientific leader at the Digital Cellulose Center and researcher at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, spoke about these paper supercapacitors, which utilize cellulose