The more powerful the phone is, the fatter the phone is

US scientists have discovered the new use of fungus in making super-durable batteries.

Make the most of your cell phone battery from the fungus

According to UPI, lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries are a good source of electricity for any electronic device, from cell phones to electric cars. However, this type of battery is unstable because the long-term anode will be corroded.

Engineers and materials scientists at the University of California, Reverside, USA, use portabella (A.bisporus) mushrooms to create new batteries that can overcome all the challenges of time.

This new lithium battery has an anode made from grease . It is not only durable but also cheaper and more environmentally friendly than other types of anode. Moreover, fungi are very easy to grow so the manufacture of anode on the battery is much easier.

The spongy foam is the ideal material for making an anode of the battery. Photo: UC-Riverside.

The anodes of the battery are made of graphite. This material is not only expensive but also time consuming and detrimental to the environment.

The anode of the battery is moderately durable but must also be porous so power can be transmitted and stored easily. Mushrooms attract scientists because they are extremely spongy. In conventional batteries, after a period of use, graphite electrodes will be worn down. Meanwhile, the fungus contains high levels of potassium salts which increase the life of the electrodes.

Researchers say an anode made from fungus is a viable alternative to anode made from graphite, as the demand for lithium batteries is increasing, while the supply of graphite is decreasing.

"With battery-powered materials like this, the future battery life of mobile phones will increase, not decrease, thanks to the porous structure of the anode absorbing more electrolyte after each Phone charge , " said Brennan Campbell, a program engineer in materials science at Riverside, at a news conference. The research was published in the June 29 issue of Scientific Reports.