Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from August 13, 2017

Implantable Batteries are Powered by Salt

A flexible battery powered by IV saline solution and other body-inspired fluids was developed as an alternative to rigid lithium-ion batteries for wearable electronics and medical implants. The design of batteries for these applications typically requires structural reinforcement to prevent hazardous Artistic rendering of fiber-shaped implantable batteries using biocompatible electrolytes. (Credit:Guo et al.) chemicals from leaking out. To eliminate these safety concerns, researchers from Fudan University, China, swapped out toxic and flammable liquids for cheap, biocompatible and environmentally conscious sodium-ion solutions. Among those solutions were two biocompatible ones suitable for implantable devices, given that they pose no harm to the surface or interior of the body. The danger posed by electrolyte leakage is minimized by the use of either the normal saline solution pumped into the body in most IV treatments or a cell-culture medium that contains amino acids, sugars, and ...