A bio-inspired sustainable sugar battery integrated with a reversible coordination complex

Abstract

We introduce an eco-friendly sugar battery powered by renewable glucose and a reversible coordination complex, achieving performance that replaces noble metals on the cathode and circumvents sluggish oxygen reduction reactions. Utilizing biomass-derived fuel and carbon electrode, the battery delivers an impressive peak power density of ∼41 mW cm⁻²; nearly 7 times higher than conventional noble metal-based glucose–oxygen system, highlighting a prominent step toward sustainable energy technologies. The battery's non-toxic, refillable design, combined with the use of affordable materials, highlights its potential for both portable and large-scale energy applications.