In only a few decades, lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized technologies, enabling the proliferation of portable devices and electric vehicles¹, with substantial benefits for society. However, the rapid growth in technology has highlighted the ethical and environmental challenges of mining lithium, cobalt and other mineral ore resources, and the issues associated with the safe usage and non-hazardous disposal of batteries². Only a small fraction of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, further exacerbating global material supply of strategic elements^3,4,5. A potential alternative is to use organic-based redox-active materials^6,7,8 to develop rechargeable batteries that originate from ethically sourced, sustainable materials and enable on-demand deconstruction and reconstruction. Making such batteries is challenging because the active materials must be stable during operation but degradable at end of life. Further, the degradation products should be either environmentally benign or recyclable for reconstruction into a new battery. Here we demonstrate a metal-free, polypeptide-based battery, in which viologens and nitroxide radicals are incorporated as redox-active groups along polypeptide backbones to function as anode and cathode materials, respectively. These redox-active polypeptides perform as active materials that are stable during battery operation and subsequently degrade on demand in acidic conditions to generate amino acids, other building blocks and degradation products. Such a polypeptide-based battery is a first step to addressing the need for alternative chemistries for green and sustainable batteries in a future circular economy.

在短短几十年内，锂离子电池已经彻底改变了技术，使便携式设备和电动汽车¹得以普及，为社会带来了巨大的利益。然而，技术的快速发展凸显了开采锂、钴和其他矿产资源的伦理和环境挑战，以及与电池的安全使用和无害处置相关的问题²。只有一小部分锂离子电池被回收，进一步加剧了全球战略元素的材料供应^3,4,5。一种潜在的替代方法是使用有机基氧化还原活性材料^6,7,8开发源自合乎道德的可持续材料的可充电电池，并实现按需解构和重建。制造这种电池具有挑战性，因为活性材料必须在运行期间保持稳定，但在使用寿命结束时可降解。此外，降解产物应该是对环境无害的或可回收以重建成新电池。在这里，我们展示了一种无金属、基于多肽的电池，其中紫精和氮氧自由基作为氧化还原活性基团沿着多肽骨架掺入，分别用作阳极和阴极材料。这些氧化还原活性多肽作为活性材料发挥作用，在电池运行期间保持稳定，随后在酸性条件下按需降解以产生氨基酸，其他构件和降解产物。这种基于多肽的电池是解决未来循环经济中对绿色和可持续电池的替代化学需求的第一步。