Recharging your cell phone might one day become a simple matter of giving it a shot of tequila. A new breed of battery, fueled by alcohol, may become the power source of choice for portable electronics.
The battery is a variation on the biofuel cell. A standard fuel cell works by continuously changing the chemical energy of a fuel and an oxidant to create electrical energy. A biofuel fuel cell uses biological molecules -- in this case, enzymes -- to catalyze this reaction.
Scientists have experimented with biofuel cells for years, but so far have been unable to engineer any that produce power for more than a few days.
The team behind the new battery has produced a constant current from its biofuel cell that is still going strong after two months. The researchers from Saint Louis University attribute their success to the fuel and to the environment they engineered for the enzymes that create the reaction that produces electricity.
Prior experiments have used methanol, another type of alcohol, as fuel. The Saint Louis team chose ethanol.
"A big advantage is that ethanol is not toxic like methanol, so it is easier to deal with," said team leader and assistant professor of chemistry Shelley Minteer.
Ethanol is also easier to get hold of than methanol -- as long as you're 21.
"You can use any alcohol. You will be able to pour it straight out of the bottle and into your battery," said team member Nick Akers, a graduate student. "We have run it on various types. It didn't like carbonated beer and doesn't seem fond of wine, but any other works fine."
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/news/2003/04/58119
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