Batteries

Description:

Hemp batteries are labeled as “supercapacitors” because it is ultra-fast and high volume.

How it’s Made:

Leftover fibers are cooked to achieve hydrothermal synthesis. Carbon nanosheets similar to the structure of graphene is what is left when the hemp’s lignin and semicellulose is dissolved. The resulting sheets are built into electrodes and is added on ionic liquid for its electrolyte to create a batch of high energy density called supercapacitors.⁽¹⁾

Advantages:

Hemp biofuels provides a better alternative for fossil fuels that is destroying the planet by mining materials that are used for batteries such as lithium. Hemp can save and power the world.⁽²⁾

Disadvantages:

Hemp batteries do not provide longer-lasting mode of energy storage compared to lithium. It only provides temporary storage of a charge that you can utilize quickly. Hemp batteries can’t replace lithium-ion batteries.⁽³⁾

History:

The modern era of cannabis cultivation has lead to the more uses of industrial hemp which includes hemp-based supercapacitors.⁽⁴⁾

Looking to the Future:

People are paying to take away the waste product with value added application. With hemp as a strong energy source, it could oust graphene as the main source of energy-storing materials.⁽⁵⁾