Researchers have developed an entirely edible rechargeable battery. — AFP Relaxnews
Edible electronics are the focus of scientists seeking to improve the performance of certain health diagnostics, and the deployment of easily – and safely – ingestible medical equipment. A new step in this field has now been taken with the creation of a fully edible rechargeable battery that can safely dissolve in the human body.
A team of researchers from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), with the support of the European Research Council, has succeeded in developing a rechargeable battery made from ingredients and other substances that are entirely edible, some of which can even be found in our kitchens.
Published in the journal Advanced Materials, their findings could one day lead to the design of electronic medical devices to improve the monitoring of health conditions, among other things.
To achieve this, the scientists focused on analysing the electronic properties of certain foods, with the goal of combining them with other edible materials.
Vitamins, algae, charcoal
In a press release, the researchers explain more specifically that they developed a battery that uses riboflavin, otherwise known as vitamin B2, for the anode, and quercetin, a flavonoid found in large quantities in capers, for the cathode. Activated charcoal is used to increase electrical conductivity, and water is used for the electrolyte.
This is combined with nori seaweed, used as a separator to reduce the risk of short circuits, beeswax to encapsulate the electrodes, and gold leaf for the contacts. All the components of this new-generation battery are edible and pose no danger to human health in case of ingestion.
Currently in prototype form, the battery operates at 0.65 volts, a voltage considered low enough to be safe for the body, and is capable of delivering 48 microamperes of current for 12 minutes, or less if used for a longer time. This current can be used to power small electronic equipment, including medical devices designed to monitor patients’ health without invasive surgery.
Less harmful to children
“Future potential uses range from edible circuits and sensors that can monitor health conditions to the powering of sensors for monitoring food storage conditions,” explains Mario Caironi, researcher at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, who coordinated the work. This edible component could also be used for everyday purposes.
“Given the level of safety of these batteries, they could be used in children’s toys, where there is a high risk of ingestion. Actually, we are already developing devices with greater capacity and reducing the overall size. These developments will be tested in future also for powering edible soft robots.”
The scientists now intend to continue their research to expand the scope of applications for this edible battery of the future. “This edible battery is also very interesting for energy storage community. Building safer batteries, without usage of toxic materials, is a challenge we face as battery demand soars. While our edible batteries won’t power electric cars, they are a proof that batteries can be made from safer materials than current Li-ion batteries,” adds study co-author, Ivan Ilic.
In 2013, a team of scientists from Carnegie Mellon University had already taken a first step in the development of edible sensors, with a battery composed of natural melanin extracted from squid ink for the anode, and manganese oxide for the cathode – a device that was less powerful, and less advanced than the one presented by IIT, but which nevertheless served to pave the way for this new-generation of health monitoring devices.
Meanwhile, American scientists have developed a biodegradable battery based on seafood waste. This unusual ingredient is used to replace the lithium contained in the batteries that currently equip electronic devices like smartphones and computers. – AFP Relaxnews
