Electronic devices are built to last for a long time, but its not the same case with “transient electronics”, which are designed to degrade in presence of environmental elements such as light, moisture or heat, once their job is done.
Now, scientists at Iowa State University have developed a battery for the transient devices that degrades with them when they come in contact to water.
These batteries can find use in environmental sensors that don't need to be recovered after use or consumer commodities that biodegrade after being leftover.
Scientists have produced a 2.5-volt lithium-ion battery that can fuel up a desktop calculator for about 15 minutes, and can dissolve within 90 minutes once dipped in water.
The battery consists of eight layers with anode, cathode and electrolyte separators, which are enclosed within two layers of a polyvinyl alcohol-based polymer. The polymer breaks down when exposed to water taking the electrodes out with it.
While it is possible to develop a bigger battery that can deliver more juice to the devices, but will take longer to degrade. Scientists believe that multiple small batteries will be a better alternative for such applications.
According to Prof. Reza Montazami, "It's the first transient battery to demonstrate the power, stability and shelf life for practical use."
