We have shown that hydroxyapatite (HA), which characteristics were similar to those of bone’s inorganic components, had polarization capability and was possible to accumulate electricity under high temperature and pressure. Then, we presumed that bones had polarization capability which enabled electrical storage and conducted the experiment to measure the polarization capability of bones using rabbit’s femurs. After preparing and polarizing bone samples using KOH treatment (koh), KOH and baking treatment (koh+bake) and decalcification treatment (decalcification) as well as the bone without any treatment (untreat), quantitative amounts of stored charge in samples were determined by thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) measurement of these samples. Under the condition of 400 °C for 1 h with the electric fields of 5kV/cm, samples of koh, koh+bake, and untreat showed polarization capability. In addition, under the polarization condition of 37 °C for 1 hour with the electric fields of 5kV/cm, all samples showed polarization capability. Those findings can be summarized that bones have the polarization capability which enables electrical storage and polarization of bones is possible even under the low temperature condition, which was at 37 °C in our experiment, where polarization is impossible for HA.
Storing electricity as chemical energy: beyond traditional electrochemistry and double-layer compression
