For the energy technologies of the future, scientists this time resorted to an unconventional method. Researchers who want to develop safer, more economical and environmentally friendly batteries have achieved remarkable success by incorporating a nutrient that is vital for the human body into energy storage technology.
According to ScitechDaily, vitamin B12, which has an important place in human health, was used in the new battery prototype developed by researchers at the University of Cordoba in Spain. The experimental battery, prepared with zinc-air technology, completed up to 250 charge and discharge cycles in the tests. The results obtained opened the door to a new research area for more sustainable energy storage systems.
IT TAKES THE POWER OF THE BATTERY FROM THE AIR
The system developed by the researchers is based on zinc-air battery technology, which produces electricity through chemical reactions between zinc and oxygen taken from the surrounding air. While traditional batteries store the reactive substances they need in energy production, zinc-air batteries take oxygen directly from the external environment.
This feature makes these batteries lighter and allows them to store high amounts of energy relative to their weight. This technology, which is currently used in small electronic devices such as hearing aids, also provides an advantage because zinc is abundant and can be recycled.
In addition, the use of non-flammable water-based electrolytes in these batteries is considered an important advantage in terms of safety. Thus, a technology that can be an alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries, which is discussed due to the economic, social and environmental effects of raw material extraction, is being worked on.
WHAT DOES VITAMIN B12 DO IN THE BATTERY?
Making zinc-air batteries rechargeable is one of the most important problems that scientists need to solve. For this, a catalyst is needed that allows the chemical reactions in the battery to proceed in the opposite direction during both electricity production and charging.
At this point, researchers turned to vitamin B12. Cobalt (III), found in the molecular structure of vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, has properties that can help chemical reactions occur.
Researcher Antonio Jesus Fernandez Romero explained that vitamin B12 supports the reduction of oxygen to water when the battery is discharged and the production of oxygen during recharging. Thus, it was revealed that the vitamin could act as a catalyst in two different stages.
SPECIAL METHOD TO KEEP THE VITAMIN IN THE BATTERY
However, scientists faced another important obstacle. Vitamin B12, which is easily soluble in water, had to be kept constant in the battery using water-based electrolyte.
Researchers solved this problem by using single-walled carbon nanotubes. The vitamin was bound on extremely thin carbon structures, so it could continue to participate in chemical reactions while being kept inside the battery. With the developed method, the process of binding amino acids together in proteins was imitated.
In the prototype developed by the Physical Chemistry research group (FQM-204) at the Institute of Energy and Environmental Chemistry (IQUEMA) at the University of Cordoba, it was investigated how molecules found in nature could be used in energy technologies. Manuel Cano Luna, one of the authors of the study, stated that they examined the properties of naturally occurring materials for new generation batteries.
COMPLETED 250 CHARGING CYCLES
The study in question was the third battery prototype in which the research team used a biological molecule as a catalyst. The team had previously performed similar experiments using iron(II)-containing hemoglobin and iron(III)-containing catalase.
However, the latest prototype developed with vitamin B12 stood out by being rechargeable, unlike previous designs. The system, which completed up to 250 charge and discharge cycles in experiments, was considered a significant advance in this field.
THERE MAY BE HOPE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
More work is needed to develop the technology, which is still in the experimental stage. However, researchers have shown that biological molecules found in nature can be used to develop more economical and sustainable energy storage systems.
It is stated that if taken to a more advanced level in the future, rechargeable zinc-air batteries can contribute to the storage of excess electricity obtained from renewable sources such as solar and wind. Thus, this extraordinary research starting with vitamin B12 may pave the way for a new alternative for cleaner energy technologies.
