Researchers from Uppsala University have created an all-organic proton battery that charges in seconds. The battery can charge and discharge over 500 times without significant capacity loss.
Batteries like these could one day be replaced by the organic battery. Source: Unsplash
The battery can be charged with just a solar cell. There is no requirement for the aid of advanced electronics commonly used to charge batteries. The battery is unaffected by ambient temperature and can maintain its properties even at low temperatures.
Traditional batteries have a high environmental impact, partly due to the use of precious metals that have to be mined from the earth. The new batteries are made entirely from elements commonly found in nature. Quinones are the active material in the battery, which are plentiful in nature. Quinones have the ability to absorb and emit hydrogen ions during charging and discharging. An acidic aqueous solution is used as an electrolyte to transport ions within the battery. This saves the battery from the threat of fire or explosion.
The researchers say that more development needs to be done before the battery can replace the common household battery.
A paper on this research was published in Agewandte Chemie.
