Researchers from Stanford University have found out that urine can be used to create low-cost batteries that can be used widely all around the world for solar power. It will be mostly made from urea, a component found in mammal's urine.
The study, which was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, discussed the new research of the Stanford University physicists. According to Digital Trend, the physicists from Stanford have described a battery that can work effectively using urea that is found in urine.
The urea will be mixed with aluminum chloride to be the electrolyte in the battery, Michael Angell, one of the co-authors of the paper, said. Since batteries have three components, the other two will be anode, cathode. Anode will be made from aluminum and the cathode is made from graphite powder bound together using a polymer binder.
The new innovated battery could provide people with low-cost storing energy for solar power and other renewable energy. Stanford has reported that it was developed by Stanford chemistry Professor Hongjie Dai and doctoral candidate Michael Angell. The battery can be use as such because solar panels store energy after it is consumed all day for night use.
The battery is very cheap. It is made from materials that are easily found on the surface of Earth and is actually very abundant. Urea is already produced commercially by some companies because it is used in plant fertilizers. The battery is also high powered and long lasting. Its main goal is to be grid storage.
The two Stanford University scientists are still trying to find ways as to how they can lengthen the life of the battery. They are also finding ways to increase its capacity and the speed of its charging time. The battery made from urine's urea might be available next year as a start up company has bought it. Prototype making will definitely start in the coming years and the commercial production too.
