Contorting molecules can store energy for as long as necessary.
Meanwhile, a Hong Kong research team has turned to tofu in its drive to develop an environmentally-friendly, durable, cost-efficient battery.
Water with salts of magnesium and calcium (similar to tofu brine) created the electrolyte. Due to its pH-neutrality, it attacked neither the highly conductive polymer anode nor the Prussian blue cathode.
A button battery prototype withstood 120,000 charge cycles, with the figure down to 3,000 for a 2x3cm pouch cell. Though the new battery stores less energy than its lithium-ion counterpart, it is non-toxic and both safer and more cost-effective.
Other biodegradable batteries are inspired by paper. A coded solution provides long-lasting data storage without using any energy.
