2024-08-23 07:00:54
Engineers at MIT have developed what is probably the smallest battery in the world. It is smaller than a grain of sand, but its possibilities are almost limitless.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have succeeded in developing a zinc-air battery that is just 0.1 millimeters long and 0.002 millimeters thick – thinner than a human hair. The battery can absorb oxygen from the air and use it to oxidize zinc, creating electricity with a potential of up to 1 volt, say the scientists. This is enough to power a small circuit, sensor or actuator.
“We believe this will advance robotics tremendously,” says Michael S. Strano, a professor of chemical engineering at MIT and lead author of the study. “We’re building robotic functions into the battery and starting to assemble these components into devices.”
In initial tests, the tiny batteries were already able to power various microscopic devices: an actuator that can move a small robotic arm, a memristor for data storage, a microclock for measuring time, and various nanosensors that react to chemicals.
Their use in medicine is particularly promising. Cell-sized robots could transport and release medications such as insulin precisely in the human body. Applications in the inspection of gas pipelines to locate leaks or in environmental monitoring are also conceivable.
Until now, such microrobots were powered by solar energy and had to be controlled via external magnetic fields or laser light, which limited their autonomy. The new battery could give the robots significantly more independence and allow them to penetrate into areas that could not otherwise be reached.
Currently, the micro batteries have to be connected to the devices they are to be operated via a cable. The researchers are working on integrating them directly into the devices and further increasing the voltage generated.
“Experiments have shown that our batteries can function under different conditions,” the MIT research team continued. The aim is also to produce both batteries and robots from biocompatible materials so that they can dissolve in the human body after their task.