Algae-Based Batteries in the Works?

Paper Thin Algae Batteries to Power Future Gadgets

green-battery

There comes a time in everyone’s life when regular batteries would simply not suffice. That’s when such algae-based batteries should be employed, but are we ready for this brand new technology?

We’re stuck using AA batteries that don’t really measure up to our expectations, not to mention our disappointment when it comes to cell phone and laptop batteries. So would a battery made of green algae be good enough? Well at least the environment won’t suffer as much when we dispose of batteries made of grass that grows underwater, will it?

Scientists have found that the regular green algae, called Cladophora, also known for that algae smell we have to deal on certain beaches, makes a special kind of cellulose. What’s particularly amazing is the large cellulose surface area, about 100 times of the cellulose found in paper. Researchers were able to play with the conducting polymer and make it recharge, hold and discharge electricity.

Maria Stromme, nanotechnologist at the Uppsala University in Sweden had this to say about the algae-based battery:

We have long hoped to find some sort of constructive use for the material from algae blooms and have now been shown this to be. This creates new possibilities for large-scale production of environmentally friendly, cost-effective, lightweight energy storage systems.

algae-battery

That doesn’t mean that our future handsets and notebooks will come with cellulose-based batteries made of green algae. In fact, the researchers behind this technology are looking for new ways of using it like clothes and wallpaper, although nothing is really certain at this point.

And although they don’t want to replace the lithium battery just yet, it looks like the algae battery would hold 50 to 200% more charge than similar conducting polymer batteries. They would recharge a lot faster compared to standard rechargeable batteries. Instead of an hour they would be done in 11 seconds to 8 minutes. The algae battery only showed a 6% loss of charge after 100 charging cycles while similar polymer batteries show a 50% loss after 60 charging cycles.

I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t mind seeing those algae batteries power up my laptop right now. How much would one such battery cost?

Credit: Source.
Related Stories on TFTS:
  • The Unprinter, A Cambridge Production, Erases Printer Ink From Paper

    Cambridge Engineers Develop The Unprinter, A Device That Takes Printer Ink Off Paper, Allows For Reuse Of The Paper

  • Pebble E-Paper Watch For iPhone & Android Tops $7 Million On Kickstarter

    The Pebble E-Paper Watch Was Only Looking For $100,000 However With 18 Days Remaining -- They Have Gotten That Along With An Additional $7,066,473

  • Genius DX-ECO Wireless Mouse Requires No Batteries

    Genius' New Wireless Mouse Has Built-In Capacitor To Recharge Between Uses, No More Replacing Batteries

  • HP Pavilions May Launch With Somewhat Impressive New Capability Next Week

    Reports Emerge Suggesting That HP Pavilions Are About To Get A Serious Shot Of Power Under The Hood In The Future

  • Google Interested in Serving Ads During Phone Calls?

    New Google Patent Details Means of Offering Ads to Handset Users Based on Their Conversations, Is a New Privacy Breach Scandal in Google’s Future?]



  • 1 Comment / Add Your Response?

    1. priya says:

      thaks alot…………………can u rlz tel the more apllication about this new algal battery

    We think you may also like: