Green Energy from Discarded Wool and Fish Scales

• DOI: 10.1007/s12649-021-01475-1
• Publication Date: 2021-05-25T16:03:07Z
• Authors: Prajwal Battampara; Deepak Ingale; Vijaykumar Guna; Uma Ullas Pradhan; Narendra Reddy
• Keywords: 01 natural sciences; 7. Clean energy; 0104 chemical sciences; 3. Good health

Proteins in discarded wool and extractants obtained from fish scale dissolved in NaOH solution can be used as electrolytes in a biochemical fuel cell that can generate up to 418 mV of energy. Discarded wool and fish scales are raw materials that are available in large quantities at low cost but generally disposed as waste. Both fish scales and wool are made up to proteins that show ionic and electrochemical potential. In this study, an electrochemical cell was built and the potential of using waste wool and fish scales as green sources of energy were explored. Performance of the cell was studied by varying various parameters including types of electrodes, concentration and volume of the alkali solution. The output from both the half cells was obtained using inert graphite as electrodes. The extent of voltage generated was dependent on the ratio of the two electrolyte solutions, the alkali concentration and type of bridge used. A 0.75 N solution and woven cotton wick provided the highest output. The voltage generated from a single cell could be multiplied in proportion by connecting the cells in series. Further, when supplied with an external voltage, the electrolytes not only showed an increase in voltage but had high retention capacity of 200% up to 120 min. Since proteins and fish scales are available as waste and the electrolytes can be easily prepared, the electrochemical cells can be feasible solutions for generating small amounts of energy. In this research, it has been demonstrated that a L.E.D with forward voltage of 1.8 V can be powered by the electrochemical cells developed. The sustainable and green energy produced from the biochemical cells could be useful in sensors and other analytical applications.