Refillable, Biodegradable, Energy Dense Battery Developed From Sugar

Sugar battery developers Y.H. Percival Zhang (right)and Zhiguang Zhu.
Credit: Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

An environmentally friendly battery that runs on sugar has been developed by a research team at Virginia Tech.

The battery also has a very high energy density compared to previously developed sugar based fuel cells which allows it to run longer before needing to be refueled.

Conventional batteries usually use platinum as a catalyst. Instead, this battery uses sugar and a non-natural synthetic enzymatic pathway to generate electricity. Because of the process, the main byproducts of the sugar battery are electricity and water making this battery environmentally friendly.

It is also easily refilled with sugar extending its usability while also making it low cost, non-toxic, and biodegradable.

The team is confident that this battery will one day be used to power electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets.