Virus Enables New Wave Of Rechargeable Batteries

by Mathew A. Dirjish

At a meeting of the American Chemical Society, Mark Allen, Ph.D. gave details on the use of a common virus to develop better materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that could be woven into clothing. New anode and cathode materials were also under discussion. As per Dr. Allen, “The batteries, once woven into clothing, could provide power for a range of high-tech devices, including handheld radios, GPS devices and personal digital assistants. They could also be used in everyday cell phones and smart phones.” He also described the development of new cathodes made from an iron-fluoride material that could produce lightweight and flexible batteries with minimal loss of power, performance, or chargeability compared to current offerings. The technique so far involves the use of a virus called M13 bacteriophage to create the rechargeable battery. M13consists of an outer coat of protein surrounding an inner core of genes. Allegedly, it infects bacteria and is harmless to people. For more details, contact the American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. (800) 227-5558 or [email protected].