From ExtremeTech:
Researchers at the Institute
of Physical Chemistry in Poland have created an air-breathing biobattery
that could one day provide long-lasting and safe power to pacemakers
and other implants. In the words of the lead researcher, Dr
Jönsson-Niedziółka, who has a suitably Frankensteinian name, "One of the
most popular experiments in electrochemistry is to make a battery by
sticking appropriately selected electrodes into a potato. We are doing
something similar, the difference is that [...] we'd rather replace the
potato with… a human being."
The Polish biobattery is based on the
same, well-known zinc-air chemistry that is used by hearing aid
batteries. In a normal zinc-air battery, zinc (the anode) is oxidized by
the oxygen in air (it's an air-breathable battery), releasing electrons
that travel to the cathode, producing electricity. As with most
batteries, zinc-air batteries usually have a fairly dull carbon/graphite
cathode. This new battery, however, uses a special cathode, which the
researchers have been working on for many years.
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