Algae holds power to extend battery life.

• Author: Beidel, Eric
• Position: Defense Technology Newswire - Alginates - Brief article

* The Navy has proven it can power its boats with algae based fuel. Now, scientists may have discovered another reason for the military to harvest it.

Researchers at Georgia Tech and Clemson University believe that material extracted from common brown algae can be used to bind lithium-ion batteries, boosting their ability to store energy. This refined alginate could do wonders for troops bogged down with batteries, replacements and chargers needed to operate electronic gear on the battlefield.

"While nature certainly did not intend to help us make better energy storage devices, we identified similarities in the material requirements for making better, longer-lasting batteries and those for the growth of aquatic plants," says Gleb Yushin, an assistant professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology's school of materials science and engineering.

Alginates are commonly employed as a binding material in foods such as ice cream. Because they can neutralize hydrochloric acid, they also are used to...