Marina Le Borgne, Perrine Ximenes, Marc Le Borgne

From toxic materials to food-grade materials: A major challenge for battery design – A mini review

Introduction

From toxic materials to food-grade materials: a major challenge for battery design – a mini review. Explore the challenge of developing sustainable, food-grade batteries from toxic materials. This mini-review covers biodegradable, edible battery design, biomaterials, and their crucial role in medical devices.

Abstract

Section: Articles Keywords: edible batteries, medical devices, biomaterials, Ampère The use of batteries, found in telephones, remote controls, and medical devices, is an integral part of our daily lives. Unfortunately, the routine use of these electronic devices has harmful effects on the environment, primarily due to the pollution generated by heavy metals. This article traces the history of batteries, starting with the birth of the voltaic battery in 1799, invented by Alessandro Volta. This discovery, based on the principle of redox reactions between zinc and copper, was subsequently taken up and improved on numerous times. In 1836, John Frederic Daniell designed a two-compartment cell, stabilized by depolarizers and connected by a salt bridge. To meet today's climate challenges, researchers continue to design batteries, but this time they are biodegradable, edible, rechargeable, and therefore sustainable. In recent years, we have seen the emergence of highly innovative concepts. Some scientists, for example, are using cuttlefish ink to extract melanin. In a sodium-ion battery, this molecule acts as a natural anode, enabling sodium ions to be stored and thus contributing to the device's eco-friendliness. Other innovative research has also emerged, using other natural ingredients such as quercetin and riboflavin. These technological advances are of particular interest to the healthcare sector for the development of implantable medical devices.

Review

This mini-review, "From toxic materials to food-grade materials: A major challenge for battery design," effectively addresses a highly pertinent and pressing issue in contemporary technology and environmental science. The authors set the stage by briefly tracing the historical evolution of batteries from Volta's pioneering voltaic cell to Daniell's improvements, thereby contextualizing the current imperative for change. The introduction clearly articulates the driving force behind this research: mitigating the significant environmental pollution caused by conventional batteries, particularly due to heavy metals, which are integral to their widespread use in modern electronic devices and medical equipment. The core strength of this article lies in its forward-looking discussion of innovative solutions aimed at developing sustainable battery technologies. It highlights the paradigm shift towards biodegradable, edible, and rechargeable designs, presenting exciting examples of recent advancements. The abstract effectively showcases cutting-edge research, such as the utilization of cuttlefish ink to extract melanin for use as a natural anode in sodium-ion batteries, and the exploration of other natural ingredients like quercetin and riboflavin. These examples underscore the potential for bio-inspired materials to revolutionize power storage, with a clear emphasis on their critical relevance for the healthcare sector and the development of safer, implantable medical devices. While providing an excellent overview of the promising direction of sustainable battery research, the abstract could subtly acknowledge some of the "major challenges" implied by its title, even within the confines of a mini-review. A brief mention of the current limitations or hurdles – perhaps concerning energy density, power output, cycle life, or manufacturing scalability for these novel materials – would further enrich the narrative by offering a more balanced perspective on the path from concept to widespread application. Nevertheless, this article serves as a timely and insightful synthesis, effectively stimulating interest in the innovative strides being made towards a future of truly sustainable and biocompatible energy storage solutions.

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