The Self-Destructing Mushroom Battery: A 3D-Printed Eco-Power Breakthrough

🍄⚡ Nature Meets Tech

Forget charging—just feed this battery! Swiss researchers at Empa have created a living, biodegradable fungal battery that powers sensors before harmlessly digesting itself. Published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, this innovation could revolutionize off-grid energy.

How It Works

🔋 Microbial Fuel Cell (Not a traditional battery)

• Anode: Yeast fungus releases electrons as it metabolizes sugar

• Cathode: White rot fungus captures electrons via enzymes

• 3D-Printed Scaffold: Cellulose-based ink houses the fungi and acts as food

🌱 Why It’s Groundbreaking
✅ Zero Toxicity – Fully biodegradable (unlike lithium batteries)
✅ Off-Grid Ready – Ideal for agriculture/environmental sensors
✅ "Activate Anywhere" – Just add water and sugar to dried cells

🧪 Challenges & Innovations

• Printing Alive: Developed a conductive, fungus-friendly ink

• Interdisciplinary Magic: Merged microbiology + materials science + electroengineering

• Future Goals: Boost power output and test other fungal species

💬 Researcher Spotlight
"Fungi are underutilized in materials science—this is just the beginning."
– Carolina Reyes, Empa microbiologist turned electrochemist

🌍 The Bigger Picture
While still low-power, this proof-of-concept shows how bio-integrated design could replace disposable tech with self-sustaining, zero-waste alternatives.

Reference:

Carolina Reyes et al, 3D Printed Cellulose-Based Fungal Battery, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c05494