Used coffee capsules repurposed as clock batteries

Science
Used coffee capsules repurposed as clock batteries
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Designers MischerTraxler built these coffee-powered clocks for an installation at Venice Design Week. The claim is that the power comes from the coffee, however I think that it actually comes from a Galvanic reaction between the copper and aluminum strips, with the coffee just providing an acidic solution for the reaction to take place in. Anyone know for sure? [via inhabitat]

6 thoughts on “Used coffee capsules repurposed as clock batteries

  1. Dr.Faraday says:

    Two hundred years of electrochemical science knows for sure!

    Half potential of Aluminum is 1.66V, Copper is .34V so he successfully set up a 2.0 V cell.

    1. Matt Mets says:

      Cool, thanks! I really need to get some metal out and test these things for myself. :-)

  2. Rob Cruickshank says:

    A: The coffee grounds!

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