Students make batteries from banana peels

TP - After nearly half a year of collecting banana peels together, and then going through hundreds of times of sending back samples for measurement, a group of students from Hanoi University of Science and Technology and National Economics University have successfully manufactured Lithium batteries from agricultural waste.

Eat bananas all week to get the peels for research

Starting from the research direction of biomass fuel, the group of students Nguyen Thang, Nguyen Bao Khanh, Tran Manh Quan, Vu Thi Thu Nga, Tran Minh Huong, Nguyen Van Tu (Hanoi University of Science and Technology); Le Thi Huyen Trang, Vu Tran Linh Trang, Dinh Thi Thu Thao (National Economics University); Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang (Foreign Trade University) have cherished the idea of implementing the startup project Banatery - manufacturing Lithium batteries from banana peels.

“In the context of the current circular economy and green economy trend, we have researched some types of biomass fuels such as bagasse, acacia leaves... Among them, banana peels are suitable raw materials for manufacturing Lithium batteries to supply factories producing environmentally friendly electric energy storage devices. The supply of banana peels will come from factories making dried fruits and dried bananas,” said Huyen Trang.

Students make batteries from banana peels photo 1

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Trong Nghia (School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Hanoi University of Science and Technology) guides a group of students to carry out the project.

During the initial experiment, Bao Khanh jokingly said, the whole group had to play the role of “banana traders” to get the necessary amount of banana peels for the research and measurement process. The group members collected them by asking for banana peels, buying bananas from fruit stalls or supermarkets. “Sometimes we had to mobilize students in the class to actively eat bananas all week, or create dishes from bananas to get the peels,” Khanh said.

The Banatery startup project - manufacturing Lithium batteries from banana peels by a group of students under the guidance of Associate Professors and Doctors: Le Thi Thu Hang, Nguyen Trong Nghia, Hoang Thi Bich Thuy (School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Hanoi University of Science and Technology). The project won first prize in the Smart Creative City Startup Challenge (Startupcity) 2024, organized by the Hanoi Youth Union.

Huyen Trang also mobilized her entire family in the countryside to help her collect banana peels. “Everyone was bewildered when we went to collect and buy banana peels. At that time, the whole group collected the peels together during the day, and only started experimenting in the afternoon, together watching the peels dry on time,” Trang shared.

The group spent sleepless nights researching and discussing, and it took nearly 2 years to complete the product. “The most memorable period was when the Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology returned hundreds of unqualified 18650 Lithium ion battery samples, everyone just looked at each other silently. But then the whole group showed determination and hope, continued to redo, send, redo, and send again... finally passed a stage”, Nguyen Thang recalled.

Environmentally friendly products

“We are ambitious “pieces”, working together and persevering on a journey. Sometimes, economists and engineers have different thinking and perspectives, leading to heated debates. But then we all learn to regulate our personal egos to harmonize with the ideas and common goals of the group,” said student Nguyen Thang.

Therefore, from a rudimentary idea, Nguyen Thang and his team turned the idea into a product that is close to real life and creates great value for the environment. According to the male student, Banatery Battery is an outstanding solution to replace traditional batteries. Specifically, graphite in traditional battery production will be replaced by activated carbon produced from banana peels.

“This activated carbon shows better overall electrochemical properties than activated carbon products derived from mined coal. The project is currently continuing to research other types of biomass fuels to make anodes for further applications in other fields,” Thang said, adding that batteries made from banana peels will be easy to recycle and minimize environmental impact when recycled.

As a project advisor, Ms. Nguyen My Anh, working at the Department of Enterprise Development (Ministry of Planning and Investment), commented that the students have thought of a direction that some current businesses have not thought of.

“Sustainable development is easy to say but difficult to do. The project members have speculated and worried a lot about the product such as how to handle waste, how to reduce emissions that impact the environment, how Lithium batteries will contribute to the green transition and circular economy trend... Those are steps that the students can absolutely make if they are persistent, work together to upgrade techniques, technology and optimize the efficiency of this product,” said Ms. My Anh.

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