Science fiction has made so many things look untrue or unattainable but science has made them a dream come through. With improvement in technological research, nanowire-sprouting bacteria has been able to generate electricity from thin air. You must have heard scientist saying they are working on clean power/electricity for self-sustainable system, if you never thought such a thing could become a reality then welcome to the world of reality.
Microbiologist Darek Lovley and his colleague at the University of Massachusetts Amherst the microbes were able to produce electrical wires which could be used to generate electricity. They called the electrical wires Microbial nanowires and this research created controversies in the science world for a decade. This was proven when Electrical Engineer Jun Yao and microbiologist Darek Lovley from the University of Massachusett confirmed the Air-gen.
We are literally making electricity out of thin air – Jun Yao
G. sulfurreducens has been proven to be able to generate electricity from nothing but air water vapor with the help of its protein nanowires. This scientist decided to work upon in other to generate a device with pure energy. The Air-gen is a thin-film device made from nanometer protein wires gotten from Geobacter sulfurreducens. The device made up of 7 micrometer-thick protein wires connects electrode to the protein wires to produces 0.5 volts with a current density of 17 microamperes per square centimeter. Researchers says 20 Air-gen devices linked together will generate around 10 volts which is enough to power a mobile phone.
The Air-gen is designed in a way that one end of 7 micrometer thick nanowire rests on an electrode. A smaller electrode covers the other part of the nanowire on top. The micro films absorb water vapor which is always present in the air. A combination of surface chemistry and electrical conductivity of the protein nanowires establishes the condition to generate an electric current between the two electrodes.
Darek Lovley and Jun Yao says the device doesn’t need sunlight, wind or rain to work, it only needs thin air as it can work indoors and in extremely low humidity like the desert. Also, Yao said the Air-gen is low cost, renewable source of energy which doesn’t pollute the environment. Currently, the Air-gen can power small electronics and work is going on to bring it to the commercial scale.
The ultimate goal is to make large-scale system...For example, the technology might be incorporated into wall paint that could help power your home. Or, we may develop stand-alone air-powered generators that supply electricity off the grid. Once we get to an industrial scale for wire production, I fully expect that we can make large systems that will make a major contribution to sustainable energy production.– Jun Yao
In conclusion,the researchers plan to develop a small Air-gen patch that can power electronic wearable like the smart watches and the fitness monitor, thereby eliminating the use of traditional batteries.
I hope you enjoyed my post, do you think microbes can become the major source of electricity in the years to come?
Do you think this is an addition to the renewable energy?
Please share your thoughts on my post in the comment section.