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Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a device that uses a natural protein to create electricity from moisture in the air – a new technology that could have significant implications for the future of renewable energy, climate change and the future of medicine.

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The laboratories of electrical engineer Jun Yao and microbiologist Derek Lovley at UMass Amherst have created the ‘Air-gen’ or air-powered generator device, with electrically conductive protein nanowires that are produced by the microbe Geobacter; anaerobic respiration bacterial species which has capabilities that make them useful in bioremediation. The Air-gen connects electrodes to the protein nanowires in such a way that electrical current is generated from water vapour that is naturally present in the atmosphere.

University of Massachusetts Amherst Jun Yao Derek Lovley nanowires

“We are literally making electricity out of thin air,” says Yao. “The Air-gen generates clean energy 24/7.” Lovley, who has advanced sustainable biology-based electronic materials over three decades adds, “It’s the most amazing and exciting application of protein nanowires yet”.

The new technology developed in Yao’s lab is non-polluting, renewable and low-cost. It can generate power even in areas with extremely low humidity such as the Sahara Desert. It has significant advantages over other forms of renewable energy including solar and wind. Lovley says this is because unlike other renewable energy sources, the Air-gen does not require sunlight or wind, and it even works indoors.

Xiaomeng Liu, a Ph.D. student in Yao’s lab, was developing sensor devices when he noticed something unexpected. He recalls, “I saw that when the nanowires were contacted with electrodes in a specific way the devices generated a current. I found that that exposure to atmospheric humidity was essential and that protein nanowires adsorbed water, producing a voltage gradient across the device.”

The Air-gen device requires only a thin film of protein nanowires less than 10 microns thick. The bottom of the film rests on an electrode, while a smaller electrode that covers only part of the nanowire film sits on top. The film absorbs water vapour from the atmosphere. A combination of the electrical conductivity and surface chemistry of the protein nanowires, coupled with the fine pores between the nanowires within the film, establishes the conditions that generate an electrical current between the two electrodes.

Yao and Lovley say that the current generation of Air-gen devices is able to power small electronics. They expect to bring the invention to commercial scale soon.

The future plans of both researchers include developing a small Air-gen ‘patch’ that can power electronic wearables such as health and fitness monitors and smart watches, which would eliminate the requirement for traditional batteries. They also hope to develop Air-gens to apply to cell phones to eliminate periodic charging.

“The ultimate goal is to make large-scale systems,” says Yao. “The technology might be incorporated into wall paint, which 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.”

Meanwhile, Lovley’s lab is continuing to advance the practical biological capabilities of Geobacter. He recently developed a new microbial strain which aims to rapidly and economically mass produce protein nanowires.

“We turned E. coli into a protein nanowire factory,” he says. “With this new scalable process, protein nanowire supply will no longer be a bottleneck to developing these applications.”

According to Yao and Lovley, the Air-gen discovery reflects an unusual interdisciplinary collaboration.

Before coming to UMass Amherst, Yao worked for years at Harvard University, where he engineered electronic devices with silicon nanowires. Lovley discovered the Geobacter microbe in the mud of the Potomac River more than 30 years ago. His lab later discovered its ability to produce electrically conductive protein nanowires. The pair joined forces to see if useful electronic devices could be made with the protein nanowires harvested from Geobacter.

In addition to the Air-gen, Yao’s laboratory has developed several other applications with the protein nanowires. “This is just the beginning of new era of protein-based electronic devices,” Yao concludes.

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