A natural protein found in bacteria manages to produce electricity by exploiting atmospheric humidity. It is described in the journal Nature by the American University of Massachusetts Amherst team, coordinated by electrical engineer Jun Yao and microbiologist Derek Lovley. Electric proteins may in the future encourage the development of new, low-cost and non-polluting renewable devices to be used to recharge smartphones or wearable computers.
Called Air-gen, i.e. air generator, the generator exploits the properties of the proteins of bacteria called Geobacter and is formed by a layer of proteins less than ten thousandths of a millimeter thick placed between two electrodes. Among the latter, electricity is generated thanks to the humidity and the characteristics of the proteins.
The first tests indicate that the device is able to work even in environments with low atmospheric humidity, such as the Sahara desert. For Jun Yao, "the device can produce clean energy 24 hours a day. Unlike traditional renewable sources - he added - it does not depend on sun and wind and is also able to work inside homes, where in the future it could be integrated into the walls ".
A protein generates electricity from atmospheric humidity
2020-02-19T09:24:08.715Z
It manages to produce clean energy at low cost (ANSA)
