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Silicon-Based Compounds Help Batteries

Tiny lithium batteries, which power implantables and help treat the nervous system and other disorders, are now based on silicone compounds. Designed to be extraordinarily reliable and work continuously for years, the tiny batteries that power implantables are indispensable in everything from pacemakers to the electronic stimulators that help restore function in the brains of Parkinson`s patients. But lithium batteries don`t last forever and surgery is required to replace batteries and devices as they begin to die out.

A critical advantage of the new battery technology is its lifespan: `If you`re going to implant these things, you want a (battery) lifetime of at least 10 years,` says University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Emeritus of chemistry Robert West, whose organosilicon batteries are projected to power the tiny implantable devices for more than 12 years.

Moreover, a new generation of tiny electrical devices to stimulate the nervous system, treat incontinence and overcome muscular impairment, are in the works as scientists and engineers continue to shrink the components that make up the devices. Central to that ability is new lithium battery technology, capable of making batteries smaller, last longer and, soon, accept a charge from outside the body without the need for surgery.