A Metal-Free and Biotically Degradable Battery for Portable Single-Use Applications

Abstract

This article presents a new approach for environmentally benign, low-cost batteries intended for single-use applications. The proposed battery is designed and fabricated using exclusively organic materials such as cellulose, carbon, and wax and features an integrated quinone-based redox chemistry to generate electricity within a compact form factor. This primary capillary flow battery is activated by the addition of a liquid sample and has shown continuous operation up to 100 min with an output voltage that can be conveniently scaled to match the voltage needs of portable electronic devices (1.5–3.0 V). Once depleted, the battery can be disposed of without the need for any recycling facility, as its components are nontoxic and shown to be biotically degradable in a standardized test. The practical utility of the battery is demonstrated by direct substitution of a lithium ion coin cell in a diagnostic application.