This tiny cell packs power – then can be tossed away

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Simon Fraser University researchers are developing a tiny power source that activates with only a few drops of water and can provide instant power up to 100 minutes before being tossed away.

The patent-pending biodegradable PowerPAD (Power: Portable And Disposable) is a single-use disposable battery—a mere inch in diameter—in which water stimulates a chemical reaction that changes the oxidization of its atoms.

SFU researchers are developing a tiny power source that activates with only a few drops of water and can provide instant power up to 100 minutes before being tossed away.

The patent-pending biodegradable PowerPAD (Power: Portable And Disposable) is a single-use disposable battery—a mere inch in diameter—in which water stimulates a chemical reaction that changes the oxidization of its atoms.

The result is instant power capable of running a variety of portable electronic devices, such as diagnostic devices operating at 1.5 to 3.0 volts, where it can directly replace a lithium ion coin cell battery.

The light-weight battery, which continues to be fine-tuned, is being developed with a variety of applications in mind, from everyday use to meeting potentially critical needs, such as during disasters, or as temporary power in remote areas of the world.

 

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Photo via Simon Fraser University.