Cell phone batteries could be powered by OJ
Cell phone batteries could be powered by OJ
mongabay.com
March 26, 2007
Researchers at Saint Louis University in Missouri have developed a fuel cell battery that can run on virtually any sugar source — from orange juice to tree sap — and may last three to four times longer than conventional lithium ion batteries.
“This study shows that renewable fuels can be directly employed in batteries at room temperature to lead to more energy-efficient battery technology than metal-based approaches,” said Shelley Minteer, an electrochemist at Saint Louis University who described the findings at the 233rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Chicago. “It demonstrates that by bridging biology and chemistry, we can build a better battery that’s also cleaner for the environment.”
The batteries work by using enzymes to strip charges from sugar to generate electricity in fuel cells while leaving water as the main byproduct. All materials used to build the sugar battery are biodegradable, explained Minteer.
The batteries could run on a wide range of sugars.
Saint Louis University chemistry professor Shelley Minteer, Ph.D. |
“So far, Minteer has run the batteries on glucose, flat sodas, sweetened drink mixes and tree sap, with promising results,” reported a news release from Saint Louis University. “She also tested carbonated beverages, but carbonation appears to weaken the fuel cell. The best fuel source tested so far is ordinary table sugar (sucrose) dissolved in water.”
According to the release, Minteer envisions using the sugar fuel cell “as a portable cell phone recharger, similar to the quick rechargers already on the market that allow users to instantly charge their cell phones while ‘on the go.’ Ideally, these rechargers would contain special cartridges that are pre-filled with a sugar solution.”
Minteer says the battery could be ready for commercialization in three to five years. She notes that the military has shown interest in the sugar battery for charging portable electronic equipment where access to electricity is limited.
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This article uses quotes and information from Saint Louis University.