The Paper Battery That Could Replace Lithium For Good

Batteries have changed little in decades. Many still rely on lithium and cobalt, materials linked to environmental damage and complex mining supply chains. Traditional lithium-ion batteries can also catch fire when damaged or overheated and can take decades to break down after disposal.

Singapore-based deep-tech startup Flint is proposing a different approach with the Flint Paper Battery. The rechargeable battery is built from cellulose, zinc, and manganese and uses a water-based hydrogel electrolyte. The design eliminates lithium and cobalt and allows the battery to biodegrade in soil within about six weeks.

What Is the Flint Paper Battery?

The battery gets its name from the cellulose layer at its core. Cellulose, the same fibrous material found in plant cell walls and used to make paper, replaces the flammable separator commonly used in lithium-ion batteries.

The anode is made from zinc, the cathode from manganese, and the electrolyte is a non-flammable water-based hydrogel. Together these materials create a thin, flexible battery built from abundant and non-toxic components.

When buried in soil, the hydrogel design allows the battery to biodegrade completely without leaving harmful residues. In comparison, conventional lithium-ion batteries can take many decades to break down and may release heavy metals into surrounding soil and groundwater.

The Demonstration That Drew Attention

At CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Flint demonstrated the battery’s durability in a series of live tests. The team bent the battery, cut it with scissors, and exposed it to an open flame.

In one demonstration the battery continued powering a small fan even after being cut in half, without sparks or temperature increase. In another test, the components endured direct flames without burning or releasing harmful substances.

The battery can also operate across temperature ranges significantly wider than those tolerated by many conventional batteries, which may allow use in environments such as medical devices, aerospace systems, and outdoor sensors.

How the Design Differs from Conventional Batteries

Many traditional batteries rely on flammable liquid electrolytes. When damaged or overheated, these liquids can ignite, triggering a chain reaction known as thermal runaway.

Flint’s design avoids this risk by using a water-based hydrogel electrolyte that cannot combust. The cellulose separator remains structurally stable under physical stress, and the use of zinc and manganese simplifies the supply chain compared with lithium-based materials.

Because the battery uses abundant materials and low-temperature manufacturing, it may also be less expensive to produce than lithium-ion batteries.

From Research to Early Production

Development of the Flint Paper Battery accelerated between 2025 and 2026. The company announced the transition from laboratory development to early production in January 2026 at a facility in Singapore.

Flint received the CES Sustainability Award in 2025 and returned to CES 2026 to present its first commercial battery products.

Pilot collaborations have already begun with companies such as Logitech and Amazon, suggesting the technology could eventually appear in small electronic devices such as remote controls and e-readers.

Where the Technology Could Be Used

Several industries could benefit from a biodegradable and safer battery design:

• Consumer electronics that require lightweight power sources
• Medical devices where safety and reliability are critical
• IoT sensors and smart packaging that use large numbers of small batteries
• Wearable technology that requires flexible components
• Large-scale energy storage systems

Because the materials are non-toxic and biodegradable, the technology may help reduce electronic waste in applications that use millions of small batteries each year.