The Hitachi Maxell’s Mizusion lamp stands out as one of the cheapest and the most efficient products for generating light. The lamp will save you the trouble of digging for a fresh pair of batteries every week, as its power source is in fact, a mixture of salt and water.
The ingredients react with Oxygen in the air. Oxygen acts as the cathode, and the magnesium ‘power bar’ serves as the anode. The salt water allows the transfer of electrons thus, acts as an electrolyte. This flow of electrons results in the generation of electricity.
The lantern has a shelf life of almost ten years and is a useful option as an emergency lamp at the time of power failure. The lamp gives out a luminance of about 2000 Lx, and can continuously work for up to 80 hours. After the usage, the magnesium alloy has to be replaced, and the lantern becomes as good as new.
The lamp costs almost $26 in Japan, while the magnesium refills cost approximately $9 each. If you buy the same lamp from a foreign supplier, the price can go up to almost $57.
Do you think the same technique can be used for purposes other than producing light? Comment below!