Viruses Tapped To Create Spray-On Batteries

disco_tracy writes "Two different viruses have been used to create the cathode and anode for a lithium-ion battery. If research pans out, the parts could be grown in and harvested from tobacco plants and then woven into or sprayed onto clothing to power a wide range of electronic devices."

Laundry?

[locopuyo]

What happens when you do laundry?

Purity Problems

[Black Gold Alchemist]

This idea has an issue: purity. Lithium ion batteries require high purity, as far as I know, less than parts per million impurity content. With most lithium-ions, the case prevents the diffusion of crap (like water) into the battery. When the crud makes it through, the battery quits. With this system, there's no casing, and thus nothing to stop crap from getting in. I wonder how stable it will be with respect to soda spills, sweat, etc. on the clothing?

Also, how are you going to wire up the battery? What decides which is the anode and which is the cathode?