Eating a battery sounds absolutely insane and I am sure anyone wouldn’t take the risk of having an internal lethal injury. However, when it comes to biodegradable battery that delivers healing from within, which once out of power gets absorbed by the body, maybe it’s worth taking a note.
For years, scientists have been working to develop implantable devices that absolutely requires no major maintenance such as replacing expired battery. Well, this biodegradable, implantable battery which is the brainchild of John Rogers, might be the answer to that.
During an event at Urbana-Champaign in 2012, John Rogers, materials scientist at the University of Illinois and his team unveiled a number of biodegradable silicon chips that could track temperature or mechanical strain and forward the results to external device . Unfortunately, those devices were relatively bulky and serviceably too complex to use that they later had to look for a smart solution – “Biodegradable Battery”.
The devices, entitled Advanced Materials, use magnesium foil, iron, molybdenum, and tungsten. These metals conduct electricity when they come in contact with phosphate-buffered saline solution which is an electrolyte. All these metals including the electrolyte were packed up in a biodegradable polymer known as a polyanhydride.
The metals used in the experiment determined the currents and voltages. Based on the example they assumed and the metals they used, one-square-centimetre cell with a 50-micrometre-thick magnesium anode and an 8-micrometre-thick molybdenum cathode could produce a steady 2.4 milliamps of current. Once they were done with the reaction, the battery dissolved itself leaving nothing behind and released less than 9 milligrams of magnesium, this amount of concentration of magnesium is absolutely harmless for the body. “Almost all of the key building blocks are now available to produce self-powered, biodegradable implants”, John Rogers told Nature.
The device could be helpful for a number of medical and environmental applications and in the development of biomedical devices.
[Source: Nature]
I have heard of a “pillcam” (a pill with one or more cameras inside it) that is taken by a patient for diagnostic purposes, but this is the first time I have heard of a biodegradable battery. Even though I think this technology is intriguing and promising on a scientific level, I still would not eagerly swallow a pillcam or a biodegradable battery.
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Followed & on my blog roll!
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Thanks! 😉
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Reblogged this on 4t4m4t4 and commented:
incredible
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Exciting news!
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Thanks for the comment. 🙂
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Crikey !!! – this is what I’d call ONE GIANT STEP FOR MANKIND.
I expect to be being told more about it on the news … although, now that I think about it, our present ‘guvmint’ despises science. Can you believe that ?!
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Thanks for stopping by, Margaret. Whether despised or not, Science will remain science. 🙂
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Let us hope that the same cannot be said for the current Australian Government …
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Reblogged this on Eric's Universe
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Truly remarkable–a case of science fiction becoming science fact!!
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I agree, every fiction is turning into reality. I am waiting for the immortal pill, haha. 🙂
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The way things are going you may not have to wait too long.
There are countless fiction stories written on the subject of immortality. However, I can’t recall any that I’ve read as having a happy ending…oh, oh..
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God, I love science!
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Me, too! 🙂
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What a wonderful advance in science medicine
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Yeah and thanks for dropping by, Carl! 🙂
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As long as the flavor remains the same…. haha. Just kidding, but prime example of innovation in the works, which still needs further observation once inside the human to treat their ailment.
I wonder how many would sign up for the “new implantable battery” test for their issues.
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I am assuming you seriously misunderstood the concept. Anyone who needs an implantation would sign up for this cause the device would be the same, the only difference is the battery that dissolves itself after its work is done and since it can be absorbed by the body, there would be no maintenance like replacing after every 8 or 10 years. 🙂
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What a breakthrough!
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Thanks for dropping by, Amy! 🙂
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wow -cool – but also scary….
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Dissecting the body to get implanted is the most scary thing. 🙂
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oh I see, so this is much better than that….
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Oh, don’t misunderstand. If one needs to be implanted, dissecting is mandatory and yes, with this biodegradable battery there will be no maintenance like replacing the battery after every 8 or 9 years of functioning ’cause the body will absorb it. 🙂
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