Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently announced that they have figured out how to engineer a biofilm that harvests the energy in evaporation and converts it into electricity. This biofilm, announced in was done in nature communication, Wearables have the potential to revolutionize the world of electronics, powering everything from personal medical sensors to personal electronics.

“This is a very exciting technology,” says Xiaomeg Liu, a graduate student in electrical and computer engineering at UMass Amherst College of Engineering and the paper’s lead author. “This is real green energy, and unlike other so-called ‘green-energy’ sources, its production is completely green.” [1]

Figure 1. The bacteria powering a truly green revolution in personal electronics

Figure 1 shows the biofilm has a thin layer of bacterial cells with the thickness of a sheet of paper and is created spontaneously by a strain of the Geobactersulfurreducens bacteria. Electric devices have been powered by “microbial batteries” made of G. sulfurreducens, which are known to create electricity. However, these batteries need G. sulfurreducens to be adequately cared for and provided a regular diet. By contrast, This novel biofilm, which can produce as much energy as a battery of comparable size, if not more, functions and produces energy continuously because it is dead. Additionally, since it is dead, feeding it is not necessary. This biofilm, which is a thin layer of bacterial cells the thickness of a sheet of paper, is created spontaneously by a strain of the Geobactersulfurreducens bacteria. G. [2]

The secret behind this new biofilm is that it generates energy from the moisture in your skin. Although we read stories about solar energy every day, at least 50% of the solar energy that reaches Earth goes into evaporated water. “It’s a huge, untapped source of energy,” says Jun Yao, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at UMass and the paper’s other senior author. Because the surface of our skin is constantly moistened by sweat, the biofilm can “plug-in” and convert the energy locked up in evaporation into enough energy to power small devices. [3]

“Our next step is to increase the size of our films to power more sophisticated skin-wearable electronics,” says Yao, and Liu points out that one of the goals is to power entire electronic systems, rather than single devices. [4]

References:

1. https://nationworldnews.com/bacteria-truly-powering-the-green-revolution-in-personal-electronics-team-engineers-biofilms-capable-of-producing-long-lasting-continuous-electricity-from-your-sweat/
2. https://www.electronicsforu.com/technology-trends/research-papers/green-revolution-in-electronics-by-bacteria
3. https://darik.news/massachusetts/the-bacteria-really-powering-the-green-revolution-in-personal-electronics-2/659329.html
4. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220802153311.htm

Cite this article:

Thanusri swetha J (2022), The bacteria powering a truly green revolution in personal electronics, AnaTechMaz, pp.72