A scientist in Taiwan has invented the world's first chlorophyll organic battery that can supply electricity within 10 seconds of being wetted with water, beverages or even urine.

Chungpin Hovering Liao, a professor at the Graduate School of Electro-Optic and Material Science of National Formosa University in central Taiwan's Yunlin County, told a news conference Wednesday that the battery, when wetted, can provide electricity for two days to a week.

While the strength of the battery is about half that of an ordinary battery, its storage capacity is more than that of Japan's water-powered fuel cells, he said.

The production cost of the chlorophyll organic battery is very cheap -- about NT$1 to NT$2 (US$.03 to US$.06) , Liao said, adding that the battery contains no toxic substances and will not pose an environmental hazard, even if discarded at will.

The professor disclosed that he is in the process of applying for patent in Taiwan, the United States and other countries for the new invention and expects to see mass production in the near future.

Liao, 49, received a B.S. degree in nuclear engineering from National Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu, Taiwan, in 1982. He earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in plasma science and fusion technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology of the United States in 1989 and 1992, respectively.





