Biodegradable Lithium-Ion Battery Pioneers New Era in Biomedical Devices

University of Oxford researchers create a soft, biodegradable battery capable of controlling heart rhythms and powering bio-integrated devices.

The new battery is constructed from silk-based hydrogel droplets, making it the smallest soft lithium-ion battery ever developed.
It has been successfully used to control the beating and defibrillation of mouse hearts, demonstrating potential for treating cardiac arrhythmia in humans.
The battery is light-activated, rechargeable, and biodegradable, with a high energy density suitable for minimally invasive biomedical applications.
Incorporating magnetic particles, the battery can be remotely controlled, serving as a mobile energy carrier for targeted medical treatments.
Researchers have filed a patent for the technology, which could revolutionize the development of tiny smart devices and bioapplications.