Flexible batteries developed for implantable electronics

Scientists have developed new flexible battery technology with potential applications in implantable electronics.

Researchers from Fudan University in China have created alternatives to lithium-ion batteries that can run on body-inspired liquids, such as normal intravenous saline solution and cell-culture media.

Because they no longer contain any toxic or flammable liquids, these batteries can be fashioned into new shapes, such as a 2D belt-shaped battery or a 1D fibre-shaped unit, without any leakage concerns.

Both battery types were shown to outperform most wearable lithium-ion batteries in terms of charge-holding capacity and power output for their size, even when folded or bent into different shapes.

Yonggang Wang, a chemistry professor at Fudan University, said: "We can implant these fibre-shaped electrodes into the human body to consume essential oxygen, especially for areas that are difficult for injectable drugs to reach."

It is thought that this technology could be used to power wearable electronics such as smartwatches, while also meeting the safety requirements of implantable electronics.

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