Scientists turn crabs into biodegradable batteries

Zinc-chitosan battery retains an energy efficiency of 99.7 per cent after 1,000 charge cycles

Crustacean shells from crabs and other seafood waste can be used to make biodegradable batteries, scientists discovered in research published in the journal ‘Matter’ (Getty Images/ iStock)

Scientists have created a novel type of biodegradable battery made from the shells of crabs, which they claim is a viable option for storing power from large-scale wind and solar sources.

A team from the University of Maryland in the US discovered that the electrolyte for a zinc battery could be made using chitosan, a derivative of the product chitin. This material is found in everything from fungi to squids, but the most abundant source is the exoskeleton of crustaceans and is easily obtained from seafood waste.

Using chitosan for the electrolyte means roughly two thirds of the battery can be broken down by microbes within just a few months.