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Old 01-22-2014, 06:13 AM   #1 (permalink)
RedDevil
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Glucose powered battery - the future of motoring?

Scientists at the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia have developed a glucose based battery that packs ten times the power per weight of a conventional Li-Ion battery.
It was published January 21 by nature.com, see http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/14...comms4026.html.

It is effectively a fuel cell that turns glucose and oxygen from the air into CO2 and water.
It cannot be recharged, but it can be replenished by filling it up with maltodextrin.

The scientists think it can be applied to making small handheld appliances like smartphones to make them last more than a week on one charge (tank?)
But I don't see why this could not be used to make a pollution free car, combining EV and glucose burning fuel cell technology.

Of course the car would still need batteries as the fuel cells cannot regenerate glucose. And you might want to charge those batteries from the mains, if that is cheaper than tanking glucose. But there will be no more range and charge time issues

The future may be sweet

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Last edited by RedDevil; 01-22-2014 at 08:09 AM..
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