The UK laboratory behind the pee-powered mobile phone has gone a wee bit further and turned recycled photocopier paper into microbial fuel cells that instigate radio transmissions when fed fresh urine.
The device could find use in remote locations
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) use bacteria to generate electricity from waste fluids. However, they are hindered by expensive and toxic components, low power output and lengthy inoculation periods, with the mobile phone-charging MFCs requiring bulky and specialist materials. In contrast, the new paper-based MFCs from Jonathan Winfield, at the Bristol BioEnergy Centre, and co-workers are much smaller, lighter and cheaper.
Interested? Read the full story at Chemistry World.
The original article can be read below:
Urine-activated origami microbial fuel cells to signal proof of life
Jonathan Winfield, Lily D. Chambers, Jonathan Rossiter, John Greenman and Ioannis Ieropoulos
J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C5TA00687B
