Researchers are taking a page from nature's book in the development of a new type of battery that draws its power from glucose, like humans.
Technology is a man's attempt to develop, modify and use different tools for a simplified lifestyle and at times nature plays an important role in the process. In a latest research by Virginia Tech, nature combines with technology in the development of a successful working prototype of a sugar-powered fuel cell. As reported by ExtremeTech and published in Nature Communications science journal, the biobattery has an energy storage density of 596 amp-hours per kilo, which is roughly ten times better than the currently used lithium-ion batteries.
Sugar, or more precisely glucose, helps humans and other biological organisms to generate energy through glycolysis, a process where glucose is passed down the system to convert it into ATP and NADH or generally to help in the body's metabolic processes. The newly-developed battery uses a similar process, but uses artificial "metabolism" to break down glucose into electricity.
"High-energy-density, green, safe batteries are highly desirable for meeting the rapidly growing needs of portable electronics," the researchers wrote in their paper. "Sugar-powered biobatteries could serve as next-generation green power sources, particularly for portable electronics."
Since non-biological objects aren't the best conductors to extract energy from sugar, researchers used tailor-made enzymes to turn glucose into electricity. They were able to obtain nearly 24 electrons per glucose unit using 13 different combinations with air and maltodextrin, which is a common ingredient used in processed foods as a thickener or a filler.
The newly developed battery prototype is still in its test phase but Y.H. Percival Zhang, chief researcher on the project, revealed that the product will be commercially available in about three years. It is also too early to predict the use of these type of batteries, whether they will be seen in electric cars or smartphones.
Batteries have become a center of focus for several tech giants with companies like Apple testing solar powered batteries and LG introducing flexible ones to compliment curved display devices. Last November, researchers from Stanford University successfully created lithium battery that self heals, in turn extending the battery life. But the new type of biobattery is a promising approach toward shifting the focus from lithium to glucose as the base product.
