A new battery was invented that lasts longer than any battery!

A team of researchers has created a battery that stores energy in organic molecules dissolved in water with a neutral pH. This new composition enables the production of environmentally friendly battery with an exceptionally long life and the possibility of decreasing the price of production.

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By changing the structures of molecules used in positive and negative electrolytes and making them water-soluble, Harvard team could create a battery that loses only 1% of capacity in 1,000 cycles. Michael Aziz, leader of the study revealed that "lithium batteries do not even survive 1000 complete cycles charge / discharge".

Roy Gordon, another researcher on the project, said: 

Because we were able to dissolve in water neutral electrolytes, this is a long-life battery that you can put in your basement. If spread on the floor, you will not dissolve concrete and because the environment is corrosive, can use cheaper materials to build battery components.

Flow batteries store energy in liquid solutions in external containers and if these containers are larger, they can accumulate more energy. They are a good solution for intermittent energy like wind and solar, but today's batteries are inefficient in that they have a short life and lose energy.

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The first time researchers have analyzed the structure of molecules used in batteries to find out the reason that led to their fast degradation. Then they changed the structures of molecules to provide resistance to degradation. The first molecule analyzed was Viologen from the negative electrolyte, then they studied ferrocene, a molecule that is known for its electrochemical properties, but also for being insoluble in water, but it was used in other organic solvents. By changing the structure of ferrocene were able to be soluble in water.

Also, neutral pH can be helpful in lowering the cost of membrane separating the two parts of the battery. Batteries today use an expensive material to cope with corrosion, which would not be the case for a neutral pH solution.

Researchers have determined a bacterium to produce electricity.'' It can produce electricity while it cleans water '

In nature, some species produce electricity as part of their metabolism, and now researchers have found a way to give this to other bacteria that don't produce electricity. The researchers were able to determine the bacteria to produce electricity through the process of metabolism, the stakes are creating a source of energy and wastewater treatment.

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Zach Rengert, co-author of the study, noted that 

This concept implies that if only close domestic water in a container and give to bacteria an electrode, can produce electricity while it cleans the water. However, in terms of sustainability of the energy source, it reveals that can't feed the energy produced something great, but can cut the costs of recycling water.

The bacterium from which the research team went was Shewanella oneidensis MR1, who lives in an anoxic environment and survives with the help of metallic minerals and electrodes that are synthesized using membrane proteins.

Scientists have issued a hypothesis that bacteria can not acquire this property by adding a molecule. Thus, researchers, under the guidance of Guillermo Bazan at UCSB, constructed a molecule called DFSO +, which contains an iron atom at its core. To add this molecule to the bacteria, the researchers were dissolved in a small amount of water containing molecule material and added to bacteria. After a few minutes, it was assimilated into the membrane and began leading electricity through its iron atom.

Nate Kirchhofer, another co-author of the study revealed that:

It is useful to have a well understood and well-defined molecule because it provides precise electrochemical control on bacteria.

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