Successfully developed battery operated urine with small size, cheap price

Working with colleagues from Queen Mary's University and the Bristol Biomedical Energy Center, researchers at the University of Bath have successfully created a microbial fuel cell - MFC) works on human urine itself.

MFCs are devices that use bacteria to carry out redox reactions, on an organic material such as banana peel or in this case urine. When the reaction occurs, electrons are exchanged between the molecules and the electromagnetic energy is produced. By causing this reaction in a closed system, with an anode and cathode, the battery is formed.

Researchers Jon Chouler, Dr Mirella Di Lorenzo and Dr Petra Cameron at the University of Bath. To

One of the benefits of using urine in an MFC device is that it's free, available everywhere and always ready to use without having to go through it. decomposer. It's not the first time ever that a battery of urine-based batteries has come out, but size and price are lower than before.

"The price you pay for each battery is no more than $ 3, so it's a viable solution for powering pumps or lights," he said. poverty. In addition, the use of battery-based urine also reduces environmental damage, compared to the burning of fossil fuels.

" Bacteria can play an important role in the challenge of finding a safe, affordable and less harmful source of fuel," said Dr Mirella Di of the University of Bath. is co-author of research, sharing. In the next phase, scientists want to find out how to increase the amount of electricity that MFC produces. They found that by widening the spacing between electrodes from 4 to 8 mm, power output increased tenfold, and multiplexing of batteries could produce greater power output.