How High-Quality Carbon From Bougainvillea Flowers Can Help Make Your Phone Batteries Cheaper

Bougainvillea vines are ubiquitous in Indian cities with their paper-like flowers and thorns underneath that you can easily miss. Previously known for their ability to resist pollutants in the air, a group of scientists in Pune have now found out that they can extract high-quality carbon from these flowers which would help in making super-capacitors- devices that can store large amounts of energy, reports Indian Express.

You may also like: IISc Scientists Are Restoring a 10,000-Acre Forest, With a Drone and Seedbombs!

Scientists from Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) and Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have managed to extract graphene, a type of carbon, by drying and chemically treating the Boaugainvillea flowers. The graphene can then be used in super-capacitors which have a wide range of use including in Lithium and Sodium ion batteries. They can be used to charge mobile phones and e-vehicles.

The scientific study was published in the Nanoscale Journal in April this year.

So, why Bougainvillea flowers in particular?

“Since these flowers are available in abundance during all seasons and at all places, regardless of the geography, we decided to experiment with them,” said Bharat Kale, the director of C-MET, Pune, to Indian Express. Additionally, their variety of mineral composition like magnesium, calcium and potassium can help make the batteries last longer as well as make the extraction process easier. But more importantly, since the graphene is obtained from bio-waste, the resulting super-capacitors will be cost-effective. The scientists are now on the final legs of these super-capacitor trials.

For every kilogram of Bougainvillea flower used, 300 gm of graphene can be extracted. Since only few milligrams are required for each supercapacitor, if everything goes well this discovery can indeed make the batteries cheaper and long-lasting!

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: [email protected]
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Found Value in This Story?Pay What You Can to Support Impactful Journalism

If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change.

Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution-

₹201
₹501
₹1001

By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let’s ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike.

Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?