Researchers at Binghamton University in New York have developed paper-based, bacteria-powered fuel cells, essentially creating low-cost, portable, disposable batteries for use in remote areas.
Each device mounts onto a single piece of paper that can be folded and stacked in different configurations to generate varying amounts of power.
“Microorganisms can harvest electrical power from any type of biodegradable source, like wastewater, that is readily available,” said Seokheun Choi, lead researcher on the study. “I believe this type of paper biobattery can be a future power source for papertronics.”
Six of these batteries arranged in a 2×3 pattern were able to produce 31.51 microwatts at 125.53 microamps – more than enough juice to run low-power biosensors.
Source: New Atlas / Binghamton University
Image credit: Binghamton University
