Batteries for contact lenses fabricated by conventional methods could cause severe damage to the eyes if broken. Herein, we present flexible aqueous batteries that operate in tears and provide a safe power supply to smart contact lenses. Nanocomposite flexible electrodes of carbon nanotubes and Prussian blue analogue nanoparticles for cathode and anode were embedded in UV-polymerized hydrogel as not only a soft contact lens but also an ion-permeable separator. The battery exhibited a discharging capacity of 155 μAh in an aqueous electrolyte of 0.15 M Na-ions and 0.02 M K-ions, equivalent to the ionic concentration of tears. The power supply was enough to operate a low-power static random-access memory. In addition, we verified the mechanical stability, biocompatibility and compatibility with a contact lens cleaning solution. It could ultimately enable a safe power supply for smart contact lenses without risk of injury due to the leakage or breakage of the battery.
Keywords: aqueous batteries; flexible batteries; nanocomposite; safe batteries; smart contact lenses; tear electrolyte.