A team of scientists were becoming concerned batteries are still too toxic to power medical devices inside human bodies. And so they decided to apply their minds to developing a battery from components they could safely eat. They managed to come up with a harmless battery with components that met their spec. However, its power is so low it is hardly likely to scare lithium away.
A Harmless Battery But Not a Gourmet Meal
The Weather Channel was in a capricious mood when it described the process as akin to whipping up a new dish for special guests. The materials may be able to safely dissolve in a human stomach. But they are unlikely to substitute for steak chasseur in red wine just yet. Although we award them ten-out-of-ten for innovation:
- The separator between the terminals comes from Japanese nori seaweed.
- The negative and positive terminals are riboflavin, and quercetin respectively.
- The battery electrolyte is composed of a safe, potable water solution.
- Edible activated charcoal keeps the gang in check while increasing conductivity.
But Not a Super-Charged Battery Either
The edible battery worked, period. We’re not entirely surprised, because a lemon makes a functional battery too. However, the scientist’s version could only manage 48 microamperes current for 12 minutes, while operating at a harmless 0.65 volts.
Although Weather Channel believes it could power in-human-body devices for monitoring and treating us from inside. “While our edible batteries won’t power electric cars, they are proof that batteries can be made from safer materials than current Li-ion batteries,” a team member says.
Perhaps what sets the harmless battery aside is that scientists were able to recharge it, albeit when not inside a human body. It was also stable, and able to power a light-emitting diode. Perhaps the scientists are right when they claim to be “poised to unlock a vast number of applications in healthcare, pharmacology, and food science”.
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