Paper-based Biobatteries
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Paper-based devices have recently emerged
as a simple and low-cost paradigm for fluid manipulation and
analytical/clinical testing. Compared to traditional microfluidic technologies,
paper has many distinct advantages that make it especially suitable for
point-of-care and point-of-use testing in low-resource settings. However, there
are significant challenges in developing paper-based devices at a system level
that contains an integrated, paper-based power source. The paper-based power
source is indispensable to creating an all paper-based system that can work
independently and self-sustainably. We are developing a
stackable and integrative 3-D paper-based bacteria-powered battery for on-chip
paper-based devices. These devices will then be capable of generating
electrical power with one drop of bacteria-containing liquid—whatever
water-based fluid is readily accessible in the local environment. The developed
battery fuses the art of origami and the technology of microbial fuel cells
(MFCs) and has the potential to shift the paradigm for flexible and stackable
paper-based batteries by enabling, through their architecture and design,
exceptional electrical characteristics and functionalities.
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