A Fully Biodegradable Battery for Self-Powered Transient Implants

Abstract

Biodegradable transient devices represent an emerging type of electronics that could play an essential role in medical therapeutic/diagnostic processes, such as wound healing and tissue regeneration. The associated biodegradable power sources, however, remain as a major challenge toward future clinical applications, as the demonstrated electrical stimulation and sensing functions are limited by wired external power or wireless energy harvesters via near-field coupling. Here, materials' strategies and fabrication schemes that enable a high-performance fully biodegradable magnesium–molybdenum trioxide battery as an alternative approach for an in vivo on-board power supply are reported. The battery can deliver a stable high output voltage as well as prolonged lifetime that could satisfy requirements of representative implantable electronics. The battery is fully biodegradable and demonstrates desirable biocompatibility. The battery system provides a promising solution to advanced energy harvesters for self-powered transient bioresorbable implants as well as eco-friendly electronics.