Battery running by the road

In the future, consumers can buy batteries that run on all kinds of sweet things, including sap and carbonated drinks.

Researchers at Saint Louis University, Missouri, say they have a longer battery life than traditional lithium batteries - which are now widely used in cell phones and music players. MP3, laptop and many portable electronic devices - from 3 to 4 times. In addition, they also decompose when not used.

"By combining biology and chemistry, we can create a battery that is both more active and environmentally friendly," said Shelley Minteer, an electronics chemist at Saint Lawrence University. Louis, declare.

All living things use sugar as a fuel that provides energy to the body. That's why Shelley and his colleagues think of using sugar extracts to produce electricity for the battery.

Like other batteries, new batteries incorporate fuel - in this case, sugar - with air to create electricity. This process will also produce water byproducts. The other point is that all the substances used as fuel will be decomposed.

The main ingredient of the new battery is the electrolyte in the sugar. The team implanted enzymes in mucous membranes created by chitosan, a compound extracted from crabs, shrimp and other crustaceans. Then they put the membranes on the battery.

Shelley and his colleagues developed a prototype battery that was only the size of a postage stamp. They tested the new product on a pocket computer and succeeded. Shelley said the new invention could be sold in three to five years.

The team tried to use resins, carbonated soft drinks for fuel and they all produced electricity. Shelley said the best source of fuel was sugar used daily.

In the future, scientists can make portable battery chargers. Other applications include: handheld sensors for detecting biochemical weapons.

Minh Quan