A biobatterie fueled by sweat

A researcher from the University of Binghamton (United States) has created a biobatterie in the form of an extensible fabric that works with body sweat.This one day could be incorporated into clothes connected for athletes.

If connected clothes promise us mountains and wonders in terms of interface and ergonomics, their business development is still confidential.Witness the Levi’s Commuter Trucker jacket, co -developed with Google, which is expensive and offers few features.One of the main brakes on the rise of these products is the integration of essential electronic components and, above all, to the power system.Indeed, bringing a battery which is both discreet and powerful enough in a garment is a challenge to which no one has yet found an ideal formula.

Of course, tracks exist in laboratories on the side of flexible batteries, some inspired by origami, this Japanese folding technique.Research is also used for a source of food that can come from the human body, more precisely from saliva or sweat.Indeed, the bacteria contained in these secretions can cause a redox reaction (oxydoreduction) which will circulate electrons to generate electricity.

This is the principle of microbial fuel cell, on which Seokheun Choi, a scientist from the University of Binghamton (United States), works in particular;We had already mentioned her research on the origami batteries fed by wastewater.Starting from these bases, he developed a new biobatterie, this time fed by body sweat.This battery is incorporated into an extensible fabric which could, in the future, be used to make connected clothing for sporting use.

Microbial biobatterie incorporated into an extensible fabric can support repeated stretching.© Seokheun Choi, Binghamton University

Microbial biobatterie can feed an LED for 20 minutes

The article devoted to this new microbial fuel cell was published in Advanced Energy Materials.Seokheun Choi explains that the performance is equivalent to those of its microbial paper battery.The latter could deliver 6.4 microwatts per cm².The energy produced is sufficient to supply an LED for 20 minutes.

Biobatterie uses the Ubiquitous bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a catalyst.Its manufacture is based on an unprecedented structure for a battery insofar as the anode and the cathode are placed in a single reaction chamber, without separation membrane.The conductive and hydrophilic anode feeds on the bacteria present in sweat while the solid state cathode uses silver oxide.The researcher indicates that this battery was both stable and durable, despite repeated deformations of the fabric.

The particular design has the advantage of greatly facilitating the production in series of this type of microbial biobatrery, which suggests standardized manufacturing possibilities for the textile industry.But the path will still be still long before you get there, especially because it will have to find a way to progress in terms of the power delivered to be able to supply the varied electronic components that enter the design of connected clothes.

A biobatterie recharged by body perspiration

Initial article by Marc Zaffagni, published on 08/21/2014

If lactic acid is the enemy of athletes, it also has advantages.Researchers from the University of California, in San Diego, have created a biobatterie powered by bodily perspiration.It is based on a sensor printed in the form of a temporary tattoo which can extract electrons from lactic acid to produce an electric current.Ultimately, this system could supply small electronic devices.

Doing exercise to maintain your health is an excellent habit.In the future, it could even be even more beneficial...Researchers from the University of California, in San Diego (UCSD), have indeed developed a sensor printed in the form of a temporary tattoo which is capable of producing energy from the lactic acid present inperspiration.They have just presented their work at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society.This biobatterie works thanks to the lactic acid produced by the human body during physical exercises.Athletes carrying such a tattoo could for example feed their biometric sensor (heart rate, podometer, etc..), an intelligent clothing and perhaps even electronic devices such as smartphones.

Originally, UCSD researchers had developed this lactic acid sensor to help athletes better manage their training sessions.He measured the electric current produced during the exercises and it was by detecting the variations of this current that it was possible to monitor the levels of this acid and to adapt the intensity of the effort.Scientists then developed this tool to create a biobatterie.In the sensor, the anode contains an enzyme which will extract electrons from lactic acid and an anode which contains a molecule which accepts these electrons.The whole is capable of producing an electric current of low intensity.

Originally, the temporary tattoo developed by UCSD researchers was used to measure the lactic acid level to help athletes better manage their training.The system was then improved in order to be able to produce energy.© UCSD, YouTube

Occasional athletes produce more energy

To test the biobatterie, the UCSD team called on 15 volunteers to which they affixed the tattoo on the arm.The candidates then carried out a training session on a stationary bike.The researchers then found that the least sporting people produced more energy than those who practiced regular physical activity (one to three times a week).The most accomplished training more than three times a week produced the least energy.The explanation of this phenomenon is due to the fact that in the least fit people, fatigue occurs faster and with it the production of lactic acid.

The maximum energy they produce is 70 microwatts per square centimeter of skin.But biobatterie electrodes measure only 2 x 3 millimeters and currently produce only 4 microwatts.However, researchers think they can increase its capacity to reach a dozen microwatts.In a demonstration video published on YouTube, they announce that their technology could one day be used for athletes to supply a heart rate sensor, a watch or other connected objects, or even a smartphone.

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