According to research done by a group of South Korean scientists, the cigarette butts can be converted to porous carbon material as it contains cellulose acetate fibres. The carbon is a highly sought for material in creating supercapacitors as an energy storage system as carbon is low cost and have high electric conductivity and stability. The carbon from cigarette butts are known to be more efficient than conventional activated carbon. The advantages of using supercapacitors are short charging time, long life cycle and high power density. These supercapacitors are often found in portable electronic items.
By using cigarette butts as an energy storage, it can be deemed as a greener way to produce supercapacitors. The cigarette butts are non-biodegradable in the environment and yet, as many as 5.6 trillion cigarette butts are disposed every year. With this new discovery of the alternative use of used cigarette butts, we can reduce our wastage and hence, reduce the impact on the environment. While we have discovered a good way to use cigarette butts, I hope that this will not increase the number of smokers in the world as smoking has great health impacts and can also result in air pollution.
References:
References:
Lee, M., Kim, G., Don Song, H., Park, S., & Yi, J.
(2014). Preparation of energy storage material derived from a used cigarette
filter for a supercapacitor electrode. Nanotechnology, 25(34),
345601. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/25/34/345601
Physics, I. (2014). Cigarette butts offer energy
storage solution. Iop.org. Retrieved 16 October 2015, from
http://www.iop.org/news/14/aug/page_63697.html
Interesting innovation on how cigarette butts can instead be utilized rather than disposed of that can potentially pollute the environment. But is it possible that this new discovery can increase the number of smokers worldwide who are compelled to smoke more knowing the benefits that they can bring to the environment or energy crisis? As you have raised up in your article, what do you think can be done to maintain the number of smokers (or perhaps reduce it) and promote this recycling habit if this innovation were to happen?
ReplyDeleteHi Juan, thank for your comment :) Yeah, indeed this new discovery may increase the number of smokers in the country. I think the government has to continue their efforts to reduce smoking and emphasise the health impacts on the individuals even more. I feel that this invention is to target the waste produced by avid smokers that are addicted to smoking. Since smoking may be a habit that takes a long time to change, the discovery of using cigarette butts to store energy can help to reduce our waste and convert them into something useful.
Delete