The University of Maryland team found that chitin from crab and lobster shells combined with zinc can power biodegradable batteries that maintain 99.7% efficiency after 400+ hours. These chitin–zinc cells can decompose in soil in about five months and leave recyclable zinc behind. Researchers say the approach could reuse restaurant shell waste and lower reliance on lithium-ion batteries, though experts warn more work is needed to scale lab results into commercial products.
Crab and Lobster Shells Power Biodegradable Zinc Batteries — 99.7% Efficient After 400+ Hours
The University of Maryland team found that chitin from crab and lobster shells combined with zinc can power biodegradable batteries that maintain 99.7% efficiency after 400+ hours. These chitin–zinc cells can decompose in soil in about five months and leave recyclable zinc behind. Researchers say the approach could reuse restaurant shell waste and lower reliance on lithium-ion batteries, though experts warn more work is needed to scale lab results into commercial products.
06:59 PM, 11/10/2025Technology
Crustacean shells repurposed as sustainable battery material
Researchers at the University of Maryland's Center for Materials Innovation have discovered that chitin — a natural polymer found in crab and lobster shells — can be combined with zinc to produce a biodegradable battery material. The team suggests that discarded shellfish shells, often thrown away by restaurants, could become a low-cost feedstock for greener energy storage.
According to the study reported by The Guardian, prototype chitin–zinc cells maintained 99.7% efficiency after more than 400 hours of operation. The researchers also found that these batteries can decompose in soil in roughly five months, leaving behind zinc that could be recovered and recycled.
By contrast, conventional lithium-ion batteries commonly used in phones and laptops can take many thousands — and in some estimates hundreds of thousands — of years to break down in landfills. In addition, lithium extraction and processing can have substantial environmental impacts. The chitin–zinc approach aims to offer a more sustainable alternative that repurposes biological waste.
Study authors say the material shows promise for inexpensive, scalable production, although they emphasize that further development and testing are needed to move from laboratory prototypes to commercial devices.
Expert caution: Graham Newton, a materials chemistry professor at the University of Nottingham who was not involved in the work, told The Guardian he was cautiously optimistic: "When you develop new materials for battery technologies there tends to be a significant gap between promising lab results and a demonstrable and scalable technology."
While the finding is encouraging for sustainable-battery research, the next steps will include scaling production, testing long-term durability under real-world conditions, and assessing lifecycle and recycling processes at industrial scale.