Lee Ju Hee, a master's student in the Department of Chemistry at Kookmin University, has developed a biodegradable organic battery and published a paper on the subject. (Published paper title: Biodegradable Redox-Active Organic Radical Cathode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries)

By combining a biodegradable polymer backbone with an organic compound (TEMPO) capable of rapid redox reactions, the material achieves fast charging speeds and stable energy storage capacity. This eliminates the need for heavy metals (cobalt, nickel, etc.), which are core materials in existing lithium-ion batteries. Instead, it develops an organic radical cathode material based on biodegradable plastic (PCL), used in medical sutures and similar applications.

While existing eco-friendly batteries suffered from limitations like low performance or unstable structures, this research demonstrated high-speed charge/discharge performance (30 C) and chemical decomposition (enabling easy recycling). It also proved that end-of-life batteries decompose 100% under acidic/alkaline conditions, allowing disposal without harmful byproducts.

This research presents an eco-friendly energy storage solution that can dramatically reduce the global headache of ‘electronic waste (E-waste)’. It is expected to serve as a core power source for next-generation devices, such as wearable devices and disposable electronics, where minimizing environmental impact is crucial.