Enzyme Bio-Battery Runs on Ethanol

mpthompson writes "According to this article at New Scientist.com substantial progress is being made on enzyme-catalyzed ethanol based batteries to run cell phones and laptops. Such batteries promise to be cheaper, safer and less toxic than previously demonstrated methanol based fuel cells."

Comments

The major problem of the next year may well be...

[ketamine-bp]

Overheating.

We all know that the enzymes hate heat - that is, they get denatured by heat. From what I feel on my lap when a laptop was put on it, I really wonder how do something as sensitive as enzyme withstand the working temperature of a computer (I guess that'll be one of the application, from the article).

When you shrink that (from the article, they are going to.), the problem goes even more wild... ;-)

This isn't news

[the_other_one]

Ethanol powered phones have been arround for decades.

I have talked to God on the porcelin telephone many times.

This makes perfect sense...

[Fritz Benwalla]

"We have actually run our cells off vodka and gin."

That's kept Liza Minelli running for close to sixty years, no reason it can't run my laptop for a few hours.

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Bio-engineering

[panurge]

It makes sense. The development of life actually demonstrates that carbon-chain based molecules are a good place to start when you want to do something. Until the twentieth century the main source of applied energy was animal movement, an incredibly complicated way of obtaining movement from the breakdown of sugars, starch and fat. Even now, most cars don't last as long as a horse, so clearly the longevity problem is soluble. It's just that we have only very recently been able to start using that kind of technology deliberately instead of finding it by accident.

Now excuse me, my fuel cell needs a shot and then it wants to go to the bathroom.

Re:The major problem of the next year may well be.

[Rich0]

I really wonder how do something as sensitive as enzyme withstand the working temperature of a computer

There is a whole industry based on developing crosslinked enzyme crystals which are useful in industrial applications as catalysts. The crystals are literally poured out of plastic bottles as a powder and many can function in organic solvents (which would completely denature ordinary enzymes). The cross-linking holds together the overall tertiary structure of the enzyme, and the enzyme tends to hang onto water where it needs it to maintain secondary structure.

I don't know exactly how thermally stable they are, but I imagine they can take quite a bit. While the technology probably hasn't been applied to the enzymes in question I imgaine that if the money was there it could be done.

A possible end to crop subsidies?

[Bonker]

Man, it would be really great if you could walk into a grocerie store and buy 'Ethanol Packets' next to the Duracells, Energizers, and Ray-o-Vacs.

No, not to drink, you lushes. It would mean that there would be a new demand for vegetable crops, Corn in particular. While the DoA is one of the most corrupt branches of our government, one can't help but think that a new demand for corn in the form of a non-perishable liquid would cut the amount of money currently being used for subsidies.

An ethanol economy is not quite as desirable as a hyrdrogen economy, but it can still be very good.

Cost

[Stripsurge]

Yes, ethanol is cheap to make but expensive to buy. There'd have to some law changes to avoid having to pay the taxes associated with buying consumable alcohol. Using ethanol in the chem lab is pricy.

Re:What about a mixer?

[JonTurner]

>>This is great news.
Yeah, until you try to sneak it onto an expense report:

Taxi - $28.00
Meal @ airport - $11.45
Hotel - $85.00
Eight bottles of gin - $65.00

Something tell me that Wanda over in Accounting isn't goint to think that eight bottles of sauce looks quite so "great." ;)

On the other hand, this may be the only case where conspicious consumption of alcohol is a justification for a promotion. "Gosh, boss, look at all these empty bottles! That's two more bottles than last week, don'cha think I deserve a raise?!?"

Now if only someone would invent edible CDs...

Drink your batteries, get the shits...

[iiioxx]

All non-regulated (as in BATF) ethanol is required by law to be denatured. There are two types of denaturing: complete and specical. Complete adds 5% methanol, rendering the mixture toxic for human consumption. Special denaturing adds a non-toxic additive to render the alcohol undrinkable. This is often done by adding phenopthalein, which (aside from being a pH indicator) is a powerful laxative. Drinking it will cause "severe gastrointestinal distress". Most consumer applications (like rubbing alcohol) use special denaturing (so they don't kill stupid alcoholics).

Just FYI for anyone thinking about using your laptop as a wetbar.

Re:Enzyme Rights

[Diphthong]

Erm, an enzyme is just a huge molecule, isn't it? It isn't alive in any sense. Don't worry, you won't be oppressing any bacteria or anything -- never mind the millions of 'em each of us slaughter daily by breathing. :)