Implantable battery is charged up by the body's oxygen supply

Many medical implants run on batteries that need to be recharged, but what if you could do so just by breathing?

By Matthew Sparkes

Medical implants often require battery power

Sebastian Kaulitzki/Science Photo Library

Batteries designed to run on oxygen from inside the body could last months or years before needing to be recharged or replaced, and might one day power everything from pacemakers to brain implants.

Xizheng Liu at Tianjin University of Technology in China and his colleagues made their batteries from a sodium-based alloy and a porous form of gold, taking advantage of the fact that sodium reacts with oxygen to create electrical power. That means these batteries can be implanted in the body and exploit…

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account

More from New Scientist

Explore the latest news, articles and features