Biobattery Made From Paper Powered by Bacteria

US researchers create biobattery made from paper powered by bacteria.

20:17 27 August 2018

US researchers who are in search of a low-power bio-based alternative to traditional batteries have successfully designed a paper-based biobattery powered by bacteria.

 

Seokheun (Sean) Choi, PhD, said: “Paper has unique advantages as a material for biosensors. It is inexpensive, disposable, flexible and has a high surface area. However, sophisticated sensors require a power supply. Commercial batteries are too wasteful and expensive, and they can’t be integrated into paper substrates. The best solution is a paper-based biobattery.”

 

The battery was made with thin layers of metals and other materials that are printed onto a paper surface. For the power source, a quantity of freeze-dried bacteria, known as exoelectrogens, was added. The battery has a shelf-life of around four months.

 

“The power performance also needs to be improved by about 1,000-fold for most practical applications,” Choi admits.