Scientists Create Metal Free Battery that Breaks Down in Acid

With an increased demand for both electronic devices and electric vehicles there is also an increased demand for lithium-ion batteries, which rely on heavy metals that aren't easily sourced. Scientists are hoping to develop more sustainable batteries by exploring metal-free architectures.   

A team at Texas A&M University has put forward a candidate, demonstrating a metal-free battery that can be placed in acidic solutions to degrade on demand. The scientists used electrochemically active chains of amino acids, called redox active polypeptides, to build the battery's two electrodes, which pass energy back and forth as the device is charged and discharged. 

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