Advances in paper-based battery research for biodegradable energy storage

The increased demand for energy due to industrialisation and a steadily growing population has placed greater strain on the development of eco-friendly energy storage devices in recent years. Current methods with high efficiency are limited by high costs and waste. As a result, greater importance has been placed on the development of low-cost, lightweight, flexible, and biodegradable energy storage systems developed from paper and paper-like substrates. This study reviews recent advances in paper-based battery and supercapacitor research, with a focus on materials used to improve their electrochemical performance. Special mention is made of energy-storage configurations ranging from metal-air and metal-ion batteries to supercapacitors. Furthermore, methods of fabrication, functional materials, and efficiency are reviewed to offer prospects for future research into the field of paper-based Na-ion batteries. The review provides an updated discussion of recent research conducted in the field of paper-based energy systems published over the last five years and highlights the challenges for their commercial integration prospects.