Exploring the potential of Aloe-vera extract as a non-hazardous electrolytic solution for batteries

Exploring the potential of Aloe-vera extract as a non-hazardous electrolytic solution for batteries | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Exploring the potential of Aloe-vera extract as a non-hazardous electrolytic solution for batteries Avinash Kale, Arihant Jain, Satyam Kakde, Krushna Hede, Swamini Chopra, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3236522/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Electrical energy plays a major role in our daily life and its consumption is also unlimited. There are various ways to store the electricity generated, most common of which is the use of acid batteries and portable dry batteries. The disposal of these batteries creates environmental hazard and are toxic to humans handling them as well. The aim of this research is to develop a non-hazardous, environment friendly battery using a non-conventional, botanical source: Aloe-vera plant. Aloe-vera leaves are known to contain acid, which has the potential to generate electric current. Thus, the potency of Aloe-vera extract was studied as an electrolytic solution to generate electricity through metal electrodes (Copper and Zinc), similar to a conventional acid battery. The pulp from Aloe-vera leaves was extracted in two different states; one with the outer cover intact and another was pure pulp from the inner layer. It was observed that though the initial voltage for both the states of Aloe-vera extract was same at 0.17 V, the voltage generated after 30 minutes of charging by pure pulp extract was approx. double than that of the extract with outer cover intact. In another iteration, both the types of Aloe-vera extract were mixed individually with concentrated sulphuric acid and distilled water and the output voltage was compared. It was noted that in all the iterations, the pure Aloe-vera pulp proved to be more efficient, while the addition of sulphuric acid gave highest voltage, ~ 33% more than pure pulp electrolyte. The future of this work is to develop a higher capacity battery and to scale down the present set-up. Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences Physical sciences/Energy science and technology Physical sciences/Engineering Battery Aloe-vera extract Non-hazardous Environment friendly Potential Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 1. INTRODUCTION The development of reliable, effective, and pollution-free energy sources is essential to addressing the world's growing energy needs, the depletion of fossil fuels, and other pressing environmental and health issues (Wang, Zhang, and Zhang 2012 ; Karnan et al. 2016 ). In order to alleviate the consequences of such environmental issues, a new generation of environmentally friendly energy storage devices need to be introduced. Thus, to secure our future and to protect the environment from further harm, the use of renewable energy has increased significantly in last couple of decades (Perumal et al. 2020 ). There are several reasons why harnessing the power of renewable energy sources is so important for our future. Firstly, renewable energy sources do not deplete natural resources and do not produce greenhouse gas emissions, which contributes to climate change. According to the International Energy Agency, renewable energy sources are responsible for almost 90% of the increase in global power capacity in 2020, and they will be the largest source of electricity generation by 2025 (“Renewables 2020 – Analysis” n.d., 2). Secondly, the deployment of renewable energy can have a positive impact on the economy, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy employment increased by 5.6% in 2020, reaching 11.5 million jobs globally (“Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2020” 2021). Thirdly, renewable energy can increase energy security and energy independence by reducing dependence on imported fuels. Renewable energy sources can be domestically sourced and produced, reducing the vulnerability of countries to geopolitical risks associated with oil and gas imports. Finally, the deployment of renewable energy technologies can help to reduce pollution, thereby, improving public health and reducing healthcare costs. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution alone causes an estimated seven million premature deaths annually (“Ambient (Outdoor) Air Pollution” n.d.). By reducing the use of fossil fuels, renewable energy can reduce the emissions of harmful pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, improving air quality and public health. Thus, the deployment of renewable energy technologies can mitigate climate change, stimulate economic growth, increase energy security and independence, and improve public health. However, the question arises whether the renewable energy is the same as clean or green energy. Although the terms green energy , clean energy and renewable energy are often used synonymously, there is a key difference between them (“What Are the Different Types of Renewable Energy? | National Grid Group” n.d.). Clean energy produces emission-free electricity without. Yet there may occasionally be a carbon cost associated with its production or maintenance. Green energy is produced entirely from natural resources and has little to no negative environmental effects during production or consumption. They can both be Renewable , which essentially implies that they come from a source that are inexhaustible. So, while most green energy sources are deemed renewable, not all renewable energy sources can be considered green (“What Are the Different Types of Renewable Energy? | National Grid Group” n.d.). This paper aims at introducing a new technology to produce electricity by using Aloe-vera plant. Aloe-vera is known from since time immemorial as the oldest therapeutic herb (Sanjay, Asthana, and Pandey 2020). It consists of two important parts; the inner layer is known as parenchyma and is the colourless gel-like substance, while the outer layer is called vascular bundle . Aloe-vera has small organic compounds polysaccharide which have phenolic-OH and plays an important role in its conductivity (Rahman, Carter, and Bhattarai 2017; Albahri et al. 2023 ). Thus, in present work the property of conductivity in Aloe-vera plant is tapped and a non-hazardous, environment friendly electrolyte is developed for battery applications. The potency of Aloe-vera extracted in two different states is studied to generate electricity through metal electrodes (Copper and Zinc), similar to a conventional acid battery. 2. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS 2.1 Materials The materials used for preparing the Aloe-vera battery are described below: 2.1.1 Aloe-vera based electrolytic solution Aloe-vera is a succulent plant species that is widely grown for medicinal and ornamental purposes (ESHUN and HE 2004). It is native to the Arabian Peninsula but is now cultivated in many parts of the world (“Wayback Machine” 2017). The plant has thick, fleshy leaves that contains the gel-like substance rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (Guo and Mei 2016). Aloe-vera gel is commonly used for various health and beauty benefits, including treating sunburn, moisturizing skin, reducing inflammation, and improving digestive health. It is also used as an ingredient in many cosmetic and skincare products (ESHUN and HE 2004; Guo and Mei 2016). Along with all these benefits, Aloe-vera can also produce electricity by using a particular set-up, which is clean and green electricity. The chemical batteries are harmful and the aim of present work is to develop a better, long-lasting alternative. The electrolytic solution made from Aloe-vera is eco-friendly as well as non-hazardous and thus, can prove to be a green source of energy. Batteries produced using Aloe-vera pulp ecltrolytic solution can be non-explosive and free of non-toxic components like lead or mercury and will not cause any damage to the ecosystem when disposed of. For present study, the Aloe-vera plant was used in two states to produce the base solution, as shown in Fig. 1 . The pure pulp from the Aloe-vera leaf was separated using a knife and is shown in Fig. 1 (a) , while the base material shown in Fig. 1 (b) was prepared by grinding pieces of an intact Aloe-vera leaf. Further, these two forms of Aloe-vera base material were used to make the electrolytic solution of different compositions, as shown in Table 1 . Thus, trials were conducted using these six types of Aloe-vera based electrolytic solutions. Table 1 Electrolytic solution compositions prepared from Aloe-vera Sample Codes Type of Aloe-vera Extract Quantity (Vol. %) Additions Quantity (Vol. %) 1 Pure pulp 100 - 100 2 Pure pulp 80 Sulphuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) 20 3 Pure pulp 80 Distilled water 20 4 Pulp + Cover 100 - 100 5 Pulp + Cover 80 Sulphuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) 20 6 Pulp + Cover 80 Distilled water 20 2.1.2 Copper and Zinc plates With the aim of developing a non-hazardous electrolytic solution, the Aloe-vera extracts under present study were used in different compositions as elaborated in Table 1 . The trails were conducted using an electrolysis setup with copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) electrodes. Copper has good electrical conductivity and is used for the positive electrode, i.e. as cathode. The current flow through copper is easy and with minimum energy loss owing to its negligible electrical resistance. It being a good conductor of heat as well, copper is widely used in heating applications in addition to its corrosion resistance and a high melting point. Zinc has also long been used in batteries as the negative electrode, anode, due to its high power density and excellent electro-chemical properties. The zinc batteries are rechargeable, as well as recyclable. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. The electrodes from Cu and Zn were used in the form of plates of 45 mm x 8 mm size as shown in Fig. 2 . 2.1.3 Storage box A storage box was used to assemble the various elements into a working model of an Aloe-vera battery. Figure 3 shows the storage boxes used in present study. These boxes were salvaged from discarded battery waste, cleaned thoroughly with soap water and finally rinsed with ethanol before use. As seen from the figures, the storage box has 3 compartments, each having a capacity of 80 ml. 2.2 Method In order to test the Aloe-vera extract electrolytic solutions, an electrolysis set-up was replicated to make a working model of Aloe-vera battery. The six different compositions of electrolytic solutions were prepared as per the ratio given in Table 1 . For preparing the solution, either only Aloe-vera pulp or the entire leaf was ground in a kitchen mixer such that the sulphuric acid or distilled water will mix easily. The prepared solution was then poured into 2 alternate compartments of the storage box, each with 80 ml capacity. The positive and negative electrodes were then inserted in each compartment and connections were made between them, as shown in Fig. 4 (a) . The other ends connected to both copper and zinc electrodes were then connected to a multi-meter for taking the voltage readings. Figure 4 (b) shows the close-up view of the electrodes connected and inserted in the electrolytic solution, while Fig. 4 (c) shows the entire set-up connected to the multi-meter. The voltage readings taken for all the formulations using multi-meter were recorded and are explained in detail in later section. 2.3 Acidity level test The solutions were compared against each other in terms of their pH levels and structural composition. For this purpose, the acidity levels of the solutions were checked using pH paper. Three iterations were done for each solution and presented here. 3. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS 3.1 Finalizing Charging Time on the basis of Initial Voltage Before the voltage was noted for all the formulations of electrolytic solution for comparison, the charging time was finalized on both states of Aloe-vera pulp without any additions. These readings are shown in Table 2 . These readings were taken using a 5V charger to charge the battery. It can be seen that at an initial stage, before any charging, both the types of Aloe-vera extracts showed same voltage, at 0.17 V. As the charging time progresses, it was observed that voltage capacity of the solution also increases. However, with respect to time, this increase was more prominent for Aloe-vera pulp. As evident from Table 2 , after a charging time of 5 min only, the voltage exhibited by Aloe-vera pulp solution increased to 0.46 V i.e. 1.7 times than the initial voltage. On the other hand, the voltage for solution with both pulp and cover increased by 0.4 times to 0.24 V after 5 min of charging. Table 2 Charging time iterations for pure Aloe-vera compositions without any additions Sr. No. Time (min) Voltage (V) Only pulp (without addition) Pulp + Cover (without addition) 1 Initial 0.17 0.17 2 5 0.46 0.24 3 15 0.67 0.33 4 25 0.98 0.48 5 30 1.27 0.61 Similar trend was exhibited by both the electrolytic solutions at all charging times. After a charging time of 30 min it was noted that voltage of Aloe-vera pulp increased to 1.27 V, which was 6.4 times the initial voltage. While for the solution of pulp and cover, this voltage after 30 min of charging was at 0.61 V i.e. 2.5 times the initial voltage of 0.17 V. It can also be seen here that after 30 min of charging, the Aloe-vera pulp solution exhibits twice the voltage as compared to the solution with pulp and cover, as demonstrated in Fig. 5 as well. As these readings were significant to compare, the charging time was finalized at 30 min for the further trials. 3.2 Performance of Aloe-vera based Electrolytic Solutions In order to check the voltage generation capacity of Aloe-vera based electrolytic solutions, the charging time was finalized to 30 min, as explained above. The different solution compositions, as tabulated in Table 1 , were compared for their performance as an electrolytic solution using the same Aloe-vera battery set-up. The voltage generated by Samples 1 and 4 (as per Table 1 ) were taken as 1.27 V and 0.61 V, respectively, as explained in previous section. The Sample 2, 3, 5 and 6 were tested in similar conditions and their voltage readings are represented in Table 3 and Fig. 6 . Table 3 Voltage readings for all Aloe-vera based Electrolytic Solutions under present study Base Addition Voltage (V) Sample codes Only Pulp Sample codes Pulp + Cover Aloe-Vera - 1 1.27 4 0.61 Aloe-Vera H 2 SO 4 2 1.7 5 1.12 Aloe-Vera Distilled water 3 1.3 6 1 It is evident from the voltage readings that the compositions of Aloe-vera based electrolytic solutions explored under present study exhibit the potential to generate voltage. However, the state of the Aloe-vera pulp used plays a significant role on the voltage generation capacity of the battery unit. In all the iterations of the electrolytic solution, the pure Aloe-vera pulp shows a higher voltage than its counterpart. When comparing Samples 2 and 5, with the addition of 20 vol.% H 2 SO 4 , the voltage of pure pulp is 1.7 V, while for the mixture of pulp and cover it is 1.12 V. It is evident from both the values that the addition of sulphuric acid to pure Aloe-vera based solution increases the voltage generation capacity of the solution. This increase is ~ 33% from Sample 1 to Sample 2 (Only pulp) and ~ 83% from Sample 4 to Sample 5 (Pulp and cover). Though the Sample 5 exhibits a significant increase in voltage after the addition of the sulphuric acid, it is still less than that of Sample 2. Thus, it can be said here that the combined effect of pure Aloe-vera pulp and 20 vol.% of H 2 SO 4 proves beneficial for increasing the voltage generation capacity of the explored electrolytic solution. Similar behaviour is shown by Samples 3 and 6, wherein the voltage increases after the addition of 20 vol.% distilled water. This increase is significant for Sample 6 at ~ 63%, however, for Sample 3 it is only 2%. But still, the voltage for Sample 3 (Only pulp) remains higher than that of Sample 6 (Pulp and cover) with distilled water addition as well. This shows that even though the Aloe-vera solution is mixed with good conductors like sulphuric acid or distilled water, the mixture of pulp and cover of the Aloe-vera leaf exhibits a smaller voltage value as compared to pure pulp solution. This can be credited to the organic nature of the outer covering, which can resist the current flow, thereby giving a smaller voltage value. To validate this, the acidity level of the solutions was determined and FTIR performed on the solutions. Thereby it is clear from Table 3 and Fig. 6 that the electrolytic solution made from the inner Aloe-vera pulp with 20 vol.% of sulphuric acid performs best amongst the tested iterations. 3.3 Characterization of Electrolytic Solutions The different Aloe-vera based electrolytic solutions were checked for their acidity levels using pH papers, as shown in Fig. 7 . It can be seen that for only Aloe-vera pulp, with no additions, (Sample 1) the pH value is 4, which can be deduced as mildly acidic in nature. The Sample 4 also shows the same pH level, thus, confirming that the role of inner Aloe-vera pulp is more significant than the outer covering. Furthermore, as evident from Fig. 7 (c) and (f) , the addition of distilled water does not change the pH value of the Aloe-vera electrolytic solution. Both Sample 3 and Sample 6 reflect a pH value of 4, mildly acidic in nature. However, looking at Sample 2 and 5, it is clear that the inherent nature of H 2 SO 4 acid, contributes to the pH of the solution and they exhibit pH value of 0 i.e. highly acidic in nature. Thus, it can be inferred from these pH values that the acidity level of the solution depends on both Aloe-vera gel and the addition made to it. An addition of 20% sulphuric acid is sufficient to increase the acidity of the electrolytic solution and that can be credited for the highest voltage for Sample 2. Thus, it can be inferred from the present study, that Aloe-vera based electrolytic solution made from inner pulp only, with addition of sulphuric acid, can prove to be efficient, non-hazardous and environment friendly for future battery applications. Declarations Ethical Approval: No approvals required as no animals or humans were involved in the present study. Use and study aloe-vera plant is complied with all relevant regulations. Consent to Participate: Not applicable as manuscript does not contain data from any individual person. Consent to Publish: All the co-authors agree to publish the present manuscript without any objections. Author Contributions: All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection was done by Avinash Kale, Arihant Jain, Satyam Kakde and Krushna Hede. The data analysis and result interpretations was performed by Kavita Pande and Abhay Deshmukh. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Swamini Chopra and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Funding: Not applicable as no funding was received for present work. Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest for the publication of present work. Data Availability Statement: All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article. 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Sathish. 2016. “ Aloe Vera Derived Activated High-Surface-Area Carbon for Flexible and High-Energy Supercapacitors.” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 8 (51): 35191–202. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b10704 . Perumal, P., P. Sivaraj, K.P. Abhilash, G.G. Soundarya, P. Balraju, and P. Christopher Selvin. 2020. “Green Synthesized Spinel Lithium Titanate Nano Anode Material Using Aloe Vera Extract for Potential Application to Lithium Ion Batteries.” Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices 5 (3): 346–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsamd.2020.07.001 . Rahman, Shekh, Princeton Carter, and Narayan Bhattarai. 2017. “Aloe Vera for Tissue Engineering Applications.” Journal of Functional Biomaterials 8 (1): 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb8010006 . “Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2020.” 2021. October 21, 2021. https://www.irena.org/publications/2021/Oct/Renewable-Energy-and-Jobs-Annual-Review- 2021. “Renewables 2020 – Analysis.” n.d. IEA. Accessed March 4, 2023. https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2020 . Sanjay, Sharda Sundaram, Nidhi Asthana, and Kamlesh Pandey. 2020. “STRUCTURAL AND IONIC TRANSPORT STUDY OF NATURALLY PLASTICIZED NANO-POLYMER ELECTROLYTE FOR DEVICE APPLICATION.” Innoriginal: International Journal of Sciences , April, 1–3. Wang, Guoping, Lei Zhang, and Jiujun Zhang. 2012. “A Review of Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Supercapacitors.” Chemical Society Reviews 41 (2): 797–828. https://doi.org/10.1039/C1CS15060J . “Wayback Machine.” 2017. December 15, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171215084026/http://gov.personalcarecouncil.org/ctfa-static/online/lists/cir-pdfs/pr274.pdf . “What Are the Different Types of Renewable Energy? | National Grid Group.” n.d. Accessed March 4, 2023. ttps://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-are-different-types-renewable-energy . Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3236522","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":226064325,"identity":"a6175fe1-a4ab-4df4-b8af-8cf0cdd7fdf5","order_by":0,"name":"Avinash Kale","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Maharashtra Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Avinash","middleName":"","lastName":"Kale","suffix":""},{"id":226064326,"identity":"0eb6e028-29ef-4c3d-a60f-a27ac3d93e18","order_by":1,"name":"Arihant Jain","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Maharashtra Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Arihant","middleName":"","lastName":"Jain","suffix":""},{"id":226064327,"identity":"c1a4bf85-1e33-4cc3-b164-0648f6055511","order_by":2,"name":"Satyam Kakde","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Maharashtra Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Satyam","middleName":"","lastName":"Kakde","suffix":""},{"id":226064328,"identity":"1654c399-c4d3-48f9-bc37-98440c5e8736","order_by":3,"name":"Krushna Hede","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Maharashtra Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Krushna","middleName":"","lastName":"Hede","suffix":""},{"id":226064329,"identity":"860c33b1-f5a2-4fc1-9d67-e1249ce5fc4d","order_by":4,"name":"Swamini Chopra","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA7klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCST2AQYDGyDF2HiAFC1pIC0NxGsBgsNQvXgA/+zmY48rahjsDY6fTjxcUHDebm37YaAtNTbROC25cyzd8MwxhsQNZ3I3HJ5hcDt525lEoJZjabkNOLQYSOSYSTawMSSYHQBq4QFqMTsA1MLYcJiAln8M9mbn34K0nEs2O/+QCC2NbQyM226AbTlgZ3aDgC0SN9LSDRv7JBL33wDbkpxgdgNoSwIev/DPSD72sOGbjb1kf+7mzzx/7IAuTH/44EONDU4tQMDGgBw7iWCVCbiVw7QggD1+xaNgFIyCUTASAQB/WGSzCzYccwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Maharashtra Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Swamini","middleName":"","lastName":"Chopra","suffix":""},{"id":226064330,"identity":"c4fe5faf-f8d3-43c3-a423-da0902d79354","order_by":5,"name":"Kavita Pande","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Matverse Vision Pvt. 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under present study\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3236522/v1/e95a56509e5298f1f3eeca0b.png"},{"id":41775773,"identity":"98c055c3-1250-469e-ac05-56f9562fb68e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-08-18 15:49:44","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1167175,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(a) \u003c/strong\u003eConnections between anode and cathode electrodes, \u003cstrong\u003e(b) \u003c/strong\u003eClose-up view of the connected electrodes inserted in the electrolytic solution and \u003cstrong\u003e(c) \u003c/strong\u003eAloe-vera battery set-up connected to multi-meter as used under present study\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3236522/v1/caace7d6336d2f0c095f81eb.png"},{"id":41775770,"identity":"21ec5086-6bcc-407d-9963-54f4a6da26cc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-08-18 15:49:44","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":32078,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eComparison of Voltage obtained for pure Aloe-vera compositions without any additions after 30 min of charging\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3236522/v1/0c8e9c3d396e1172b856b766.png"},{"id":41775775,"identity":"8ff6c698-992c-4df2-b298-6e52785d9810","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-08-18 15:49:44","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":24174,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eVoltage generated by different Aloe-vera based Electrolytic Solutions under present study\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3236522/v1/7b21b540fde41b4c43d14f51.png"},{"id":41775776,"identity":"51300a92-93a1-4f6f-a35f-d35d214e6f10","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-08-18 15:49:44","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1814562,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003epH values of different Aloe-vera based Electrolytic Solutions under present study \u003cstrong\u003e(a) \u003c/strong\u003eSample 1, \u003cstrong\u003e(b) \u003c/strong\u003eSample 2, \u003cstrong\u003e(c) \u003c/strong\u003eSample 3, \u003cstrong\u003e(d) \u003c/strong\u003eSample 4, \u003cstrong\u003e(e) \u003c/strong\u003eSample 5 and \u003cstrong\u003e(f) \u003c/strong\u003eSample 6\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3236522/v1/d6f9602b75bf93d32b5ef680.png"},{"id":46647453,"identity":"1a8ed16d-209c-4523-a6cd-b803e3605879","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2023-11-17 11:44:39","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4037404,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3236522/v1/f6e6d2c1-3506-4a16-ac0e-2d1a82e75027.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Exploring the potential of Aloe-vera extract as a non-hazardous electrolytic solution for batteries","fulltext":[{"header":"1. INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe development of reliable, effective, and pollution-free energy sources is essential to addressing the world's growing energy needs, the depletion of fossil fuels, and other pressing environmental and health issues (Wang, Zhang, and Zhang \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Karnan et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). In order to alleviate the consequences of such environmental issues, a new generation of environmentally friendly energy storage devices need to be introduced. Thus, to secure our future and to protect the environment from further harm, the use of renewable energy has increased significantly in last couple of decades (Perumal et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). There are several reasons why harnessing the power of renewable energy sources is so important for our future.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirstly, renewable energy sources do not deplete natural resources and do not produce greenhouse gas emissions, which contributes to climate change. According to the International Energy Agency, renewable energy sources are responsible for almost 90% of the increase in global power capacity in 2020, and they will be the largest source of electricity generation by 2025 (\u0026ldquo;Renewables 2020 \u0026ndash; Analysis\u0026rdquo; n.d., 2).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecondly, the deployment of renewable energy can have a positive impact on the economy, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy employment increased by 5.6% in 2020, reaching 11.5\u0026nbsp;million jobs globally (\u0026ldquo;Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2020\u0026rdquo; 2021).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThirdly, renewable energy can increase energy security and energy independence by reducing dependence on imported fuels. Renewable energy sources can be domestically sourced and produced, reducing the vulnerability of countries to geopolitical risks associated with oil and gas imports.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, the deployment of renewable energy technologies can help to reduce pollution, thereby, improving public health and reducing healthcare costs. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution alone causes an estimated seven million premature deaths annually (\u0026ldquo;Ambient (Outdoor) Air Pollution\u0026rdquo; n.d.). By reducing the use of fossil fuels, renewable energy can reduce the emissions of harmful pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, improving air quality and public health. Thus, the deployment of renewable energy technologies can mitigate climate change, stimulate economic growth, increase energy security and independence, and improve public health.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, the question arises whether the renewable energy is the same as clean or green energy. Although the terms \u003cem\u003egreen energy\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eclean energy\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003erenewable energy\u003c/em\u003e are often used synonymously, there is a key difference between them (\u0026ldquo;What Are the Different Types of Renewable Energy? | National Grid Group\u0026rdquo; n.d.).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eClean energy\u003c/em\u003e produces emission-free electricity without. Yet there may occasionally be a carbon cost associated with its production or maintenance.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eGreen energy\u003c/em\u003e is produced entirely from natural resources and has little to no negative environmental effects during production or consumption.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eThey can both be Renewable\u003c/em\u003e, which essentially implies that they come from a source that are inexhaustible. So, while most green energy sources are deemed renewable, not all renewable energy sources can be considered green (\u0026ldquo;What Are the Different Types of Renewable Energy? | National Grid Group\u0026rdquo; n.d.).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis paper aims at introducing a new technology to produce electricity by using Aloe-vera plant. Aloe-vera is known from since time immemorial as the oldest therapeutic herb (Sanjay, Asthana, and Pandey 2020). It consists of two important parts; the inner layer is known as \u003cem\u003eparenchyma\u003c/em\u003e and is the colourless gel-like substance, while the outer layer is called \u003cem\u003evascular bundle\u003c/em\u003e. Aloe-vera has small organic compounds \u003cem\u003epolysaccharide\u003c/em\u003e which have phenolic-OH and plays an important role in its conductivity (Rahman, Carter, and Bhattarai 2017; Albahri et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, in present work the property of conductivity in Aloe-vera plant is tapped and a non-hazardous, environment friendly electrolyte is developed for battery applications. The potency of Aloe-vera extracted in two different states is studied to generate electricity through metal electrodes (Copper and Zinc), similar to a conventional acid battery.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1 Materials\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe materials used for preparing the Aloe-vera battery are described below:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1.1 Aloe-vera based electrolytic solution\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAloe-vera is a succulent plant species that is widely grown for medicinal and ornamental purposes (ESHUN and HE 2004). It is native to the Arabian Peninsula but is now cultivated in many parts of the world (\u0026ldquo;Wayback Machine\u0026rdquo; 2017). The plant has thick, fleshy leaves that contains the gel-like substance rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (Guo and Mei 2016). Aloe-vera gel is commonly used for various health and beauty benefits, including treating sunburn, moisturizing skin, reducing inflammation, and improving digestive health. It is also used as an ingredient in many cosmetic and skincare products (ESHUN and HE 2004; Guo and Mei 2016).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlong with all these benefits, Aloe-vera can also produce electricity by using a particular set-up, which is clean and green electricity. The chemical batteries are harmful and the aim of present work is to develop a better, long-lasting alternative. The electrolytic solution made from Aloe-vera is eco-friendly as well as non-hazardous and thus, can prove to be a green source of energy. Batteries produced using Aloe-vera pulp ecltrolytic solution can be non-explosive and free of non-toxic components like lead or mercury and will not cause any damage to the ecosystem when disposed of.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor present study, the Aloe-vera plant was used in two states to produce the base solution, as shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. The pure pulp from the Aloe-vera leaf was separated using a knife and is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e(a)\u003c/b\u003e, while the base material shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e(b)\u003c/b\u003e was prepared by grinding pieces of an intact Aloe-vera leaf.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurther, these two forms of Aloe-vera base material were used to make the electrolytic solution of different compositions, as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. Thus, trials were conducted using these six types of Aloe-vera based electrolytic solutions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eElectrolytic solution compositions prepared from Aloe-vera\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample Codes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eType of\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAloe-vera Extract\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuantity\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(Vol. %)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdditions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuantity (Vol. %)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePure pulp\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePure pulp\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSulphuric acid (H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eSO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePure pulp\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDistilled water\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePulp\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;Cover\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePulp\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;Cover\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSulphuric acid (H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eSO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePulp\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;Cover\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDistilled water\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1.2 Copper and Zinc plates\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWith the aim of developing a non-hazardous electrolytic solution, the Aloe-vera extracts under present study were used in different compositions as elaborated in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. The trails were conducted using an electrolysis setup with copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) electrodes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCopper has good electrical conductivity and is used for the positive electrode, i.e. as cathode. The current flow through copper is easy and with minimum energy loss owing to its negligible electrical resistance. It being a good conductor of heat as well, copper is widely used in heating applications in addition to its corrosion resistance and a high melting point.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eZinc has also long been used in batteries as the negative electrode, anode, due to its high power density and excellent electro-chemical properties. The zinc batteries are rechargeable, as well as recyclable. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. The electrodes from Cu and Zn were used in the form of plates of 45 mm x 8 mm size as shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1.3 Storage box\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA storage box was used to assemble the various elements into a working model of an Aloe-vera battery. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e shows the storage boxes used in present study. These boxes were salvaged from discarded battery waste, cleaned thoroughly with soap water and finally rinsed with ethanol before use. As seen from the figures, the storage box has 3 compartments, each having a capacity of 80 ml.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2 Method\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn order to test the Aloe-vera extract electrolytic solutions, an electrolysis set-up was replicated to make a working model of Aloe-vera battery. The six different compositions of electrolytic solutions were prepared as per the ratio given in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. For preparing the solution, either only Aloe-vera pulp or the entire leaf was ground in a kitchen mixer such that the sulphuric acid or distilled water will mix easily. The prepared solution was then poured into 2 alternate compartments of the storage box, each with 80 ml capacity. The positive and negative electrodes were then inserted in each compartment and connections were made between them, as shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e(a)\u003c/b\u003e. The other ends connected to both copper and zinc electrodes were then connected to a multi-meter for taking the voltage readings. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e(b)\u003c/b\u003e shows the close-up view of the electrodes connected and inserted in the electrolytic solution, while Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e(c)\u003c/b\u003e shows the entire set-up connected to the multi-meter.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe voltage readings taken for all the formulations using multi-meter were recorded and are explained in detail in later section.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.3 Acidity level test\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe solutions were compared against each other in terms of their pH levels and structural composition. For this purpose, the acidity levels of the solutions were checked using pH paper. Three iterations were done for each solution and presented here.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Finalizing Charging Time on the basis of Initial Voltage\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBefore the voltage was noted for all the formulations of electrolytic solution for comparison, the charging time was finalized on both states of Aloe-vera pulp without any additions. These readings are shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. These readings were taken using a 5V charger to charge the battery. It can be seen that at an initial stage, before any charging, both the types of Aloe-vera extracts showed same voltage, at 0.17 V. As the charging time progresses, it was observed that voltage capacity of the solution also increases. However, with respect to time, this increase was more prominent for Aloe-vera pulp. As evident from Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, after a charging time of 5 min only, the voltage exhibited by Aloe-vera pulp solution increased to 0.46 V i.e. 1.7 times than the initial voltage. On the other hand, the voltage for solution with both pulp and cover increased by 0.4 times to 0.24 V after 5 min of charging.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharging time iterations for pure Aloe-vera compositions without any additions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSr. No.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTime (min)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVoltage (V)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnly pulp\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(without addition)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePulp\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;Cover\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(without addition)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInitial\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.61\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSimilar trend was exhibited by both the electrolytic solutions at all charging times. After a charging time of 30 min it was noted that voltage of Aloe-vera pulp increased to 1.27 V, which was 6.4 times the initial voltage. While for the solution of pulp and cover, this voltage after 30 min of charging was at 0.61 V i.e. 2.5 times the initial voltage of 0.17 V. It can also be seen here that after 30 min of charging, the Aloe-vera pulp solution exhibits twice the voltage as compared to the solution with pulp and cover, as demonstrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e as well. As these readings were significant to compare, the charging time was finalized at 30 min for the further trials.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Performance of Aloe-vera based Electrolytic Solutions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn order to check the voltage generation capacity of Aloe-vera based electrolytic solutions, the charging time was finalized to 30 min, as explained above. The different solution compositions, as tabulated in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, were compared for their performance as an electrolytic solution using the same Aloe-vera battery set-up. The voltage generated by Samples 1 and 4 (as per Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e) were taken as 1.27 V and 0.61 V, respectively, as explained in previous section. The Sample 2, 3, 5 and 6 were tested in similar conditions and their voltage readings are represented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVoltage readings for all Aloe-vera based Electrolytic Solutions under present study\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBase\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAddition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVoltage (V)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample codes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnly Pulp\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample codes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePulp\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;Cover\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAloe-Vera\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.61\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAloe-Vera\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eSO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAloe-Vera\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDistilled water\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt is evident from the voltage readings that the compositions of Aloe-vera based electrolytic solutions explored under present study exhibit the potential to generate voltage. However, the state of the Aloe-vera pulp used plays a significant role on the voltage generation capacity of the battery unit. In all the iterations of the electrolytic solution, the pure Aloe-vera pulp shows a higher voltage than its counterpart.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen comparing Samples 2 and 5, with the addition of 20 vol.% H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eSO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e, the voltage of pure pulp is 1.7 V, while for the mixture of pulp and cover it is 1.12 V. It is evident from both the values that the addition of sulphuric acid to pure Aloe-vera based solution increases the voltage generation capacity of the solution. This increase is ~\u0026thinsp;33% from Sample 1 to Sample 2 (Only pulp) and ~\u0026thinsp;83% from Sample 4 to Sample 5 (Pulp and cover). Though the Sample 5 exhibits a significant increase in voltage after the addition of the sulphuric acid, it is still less than that of Sample 2. Thus, it can be said here that the combined effect of pure Aloe-vera pulp and 20 vol.% of H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eSO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e proves beneficial for increasing the voltage generation capacity of the explored electrolytic solution.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSimilar behaviour is shown by Samples 3 and 6, wherein the voltage increases after the addition of 20 vol.% distilled water. This increase is significant for Sample 6 at ~\u0026thinsp;63%, however, for Sample 3 it is only 2%. But still, the voltage for Sample 3 (Only pulp) remains higher than that of Sample 6 (Pulp and cover) with distilled water addition as well. This shows that even though the Aloe-vera solution is mixed with good conductors like sulphuric acid or distilled water, the mixture of pulp and cover of the Aloe-vera leaf exhibits a smaller voltage value as compared to pure pulp solution. This can be credited to the organic nature of the outer covering, which can resist the current flow, thereby giving a smaller voltage value. To validate this, the acidity level of the solutions was determined and FTIR performed on the solutions. Thereby it is clear from Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e and Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e that the electrolytic solution made from the inner Aloe-vera pulp with 20 vol.% of sulphuric acid performs best amongst the tested iterations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Characterization of Electrolytic Solutions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe different Aloe-vera based electrolytic solutions were checked for their acidity levels using pH papers, as shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e. It can be seen that for only Aloe-vera pulp, with no additions, (Sample 1) the pH value is 4, which can be deduced as mildly acidic in nature. The Sample 4 also shows the same pH level, thus, confirming that the role of inner Aloe-vera pulp is more significant than the outer covering. Furthermore, as evident from Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e(c)\u003c/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003e(f)\u003c/b\u003e, the addition of distilled water does not change the pH value of the Aloe-vera electrolytic solution. Both Sample 3 and Sample 6 reflect a pH value of 4, mildly acidic in nature.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, looking at Sample 2 and 5, it is clear that the inherent nature of H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eSO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e acid, contributes to the pH of the solution and they exhibit pH value of 0 i.e. highly acidic in nature. Thus, it can be inferred from these pH values that the acidity level of the solution depends on both Aloe-vera gel and the addition made to it. An addition of 20% sulphuric acid is sufficient to increase the acidity of the electrolytic solution and that can be credited for the highest voltage for Sample 2.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThus, it can be inferred from the present study, that Aloe-vera based electrolytic solution made from inner pulp only, with addition of sulphuric acid, can prove to be efficient, non-hazardous and environment friendly for future battery applications.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Approval: \u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo approvals required as no animals or humans were involved in the present study.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse and study aloe-vera plant is complied with all relevant regulations.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Participate: \u003c/strong\u003eNot applicable as manuscript does not contain data from any individual person.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Publish: \u003c/strong\u003eAll the co-authors agree to publish the present manuscript without any objections.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contributions: \u003c/strong\u003eAll authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection was done by Avinash Kale, Arihant Jain, Satyam Kakde and Krushna Hede. The data analysis and result interpretations was performed by Kavita Pande and Abhay Deshmukh. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Swamini Chopra and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding: \u003c/strong\u003eNot applicable as no funding was received for present work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests: \u003c/strong\u003eThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest for the publication of present work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Statement:\u003c/strong\u003e All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlbahri, Ghosoon, Adnan Badran, Akram Hijazi, Anis Daou, Elias Baydoun, Mohamad Nasser, and Othmane Merah. 2023. \u0026ldquo;The Therapeutic Wound Healing Bioactivities of Various Medicinal Plants.\u0026rdquo; Life (Basel, Switzerland) 13 (2): 317. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.3390/life13020317\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.3390/life13020317\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026ldquo;Ambient (Outdoor) Air Pollution.\u0026rdquo; n.d. Accessed March 4, 2023. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eESHUN, KOJO, and QIAN HE. 2004. \u0026ldquo;Aloe Vera: A Valuable Ingredient for the Food, Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industries\u0026mdash;A Review.\u0026rdquo; Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 44 (2): 91\u0026ndash;96. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1080/10408690490424694\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1080/10408690490424694\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGuo, Xiaoqing, and Nan Mei. 2016. \u0026ldquo;Aloe Vera: A Review of Toxicity and Adverse Clinical Effects.\u0026rdquo; Journal of Environmental Science and Health. 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Sathish. 2016. \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eAloe Vera\u003c/em\u003e Derived Activated High-Surface-Area Carbon for Flexible and High-Energy Supercapacitors.\u0026rdquo; ACS Applied Materials \u0026amp; Interfaces 8 (51): 35191\u0026ndash;202. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b10704\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1021/acsami.6b10704\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePerumal, P., P. Sivaraj, K.P. Abhilash, G.G. Soundarya, P. Balraju, and P. 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Accessed March 4, 2023. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ettps://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-are-different-types-renewable-energy\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"http://ttps://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-are-different-types-renewable-energy\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Battery, Aloe-vera extract, Non-hazardous, Environment friendly, Potential","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3236522/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3236522/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eElectrical energy plays a major role in our daily life and its consumption is also unlimited. There are various ways to store the electricity generated, most common of which is the use of acid batteries and portable dry batteries. The disposal of these batteries creates environmental hazard and are toxic to humans handling them as well. The aim of this research is to develop a non-hazardous, environment friendly battery using a non-conventional, botanical source: Aloe-vera plant. Aloe-vera leaves are known to contain acid, which has the potential to generate electric current. Thus, the potency of Aloe-vera extract was studied as an electrolytic solution to generate electricity through metal electrodes (Copper and Zinc), similar to a conventional acid battery. The pulp from Aloe-vera leaves was extracted in two different states; one with the outer cover intact and another was pure pulp from the inner layer. It was observed that though the initial voltage for both the states of Aloe-vera extract was same at 0.17 V, the voltage generated after 30 minutes of charging by pure pulp extract was approx. double than that of the extract with outer cover intact. In another iteration, both the types of Aloe-vera extract were mixed individually with concentrated sulphuric acid and distilled water and the output voltage was compared. It was noted that in all the iterations, the pure Aloe-vera pulp proved to be more efficient, while the addition of sulphuric acid gave highest voltage, ~\u0026thinsp;33% more than pure pulp electrolyte. The future of this work is to develop a higher capacity battery and to scale down the present set-up.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Exploring the potential of Aloe-vera extract as a non-hazardous electrolytic solution for batteries","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2023-08-18 15:49:39","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3236522/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f34829b0-d653-4fe0-b999-089ad19a5b66","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 18th, 2023","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":24007842,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences"},{"id":24007843,"name":"Physical sciences/Energy science and technology"},{"id":24007844,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2023-11-17T11:44:19+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2023-08-18 15:49:39","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-3236522","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-3236522","identity":"rs-3236522","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"7rjqhiLT3MXkJMwkYKINL","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}