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PACK researchers, federal SWISS laboratories for the science and technology of materials, are exploring the potential of the fungal mycelium to create a compact and biodegradable battery.
Its objective is to use mycelium to produce “fungal paper” for battery electrodes, a concept that, according to researcher Ashutosh Sinha, remains in the experimental phase.
“We want to produce a compact and biodegradable battery whose electrodes consist of a” live “fungal paper, says Sinha, emphasizing that this vision remains a dream for now.
The dream of biodegradable batteries
The idea of a biodegradable battery made of living materials is ambitious. The team is working with the mycelium of the divided fungus, a fungus known for its unique mechanical and biological properties.
This fungus is naturally biodegradable and, when combined with its extracellular matrix, produces a promising potential for sustainable technology applications.
The objective is to develop a system that decomposes without releasing harmful waste, unlike conventional electronic devices, through the use of the natural properties of the material.
Packing researchers are now examining how mycelium traction resistance and moisture sensitivity can be applied to components such as biodegradable sensors and batteries.
Working with living materials brings notable challenges. Mycelium’s biodegradable nature is an advantage and limitation.
On the one hand, it could significantly reduce the environmental impact of batteries. On the other hand, his tendency to degrade raises concerns about his longevity and reliability in electronic devices.
Living materials also respond to their environments, which makes it difficult to predict or control their behavior consistently.
“Biodegradable materials always react to their surroundings. We want to find applications where this interaction is not an obstacle, but perhaps even an advantage,” said Gustav Nyström of Pack.
The idea of a compact and biodegradable battery with fungal paper electrodes remains conceptual, and one of the biggest challenges will be to refine the material to meet the performance standards required in modern electronics.
However, it represents a promising step towards the most sustainable and environmental conscious electronics.
