European scientists have created a 3D printable biodegradable fungal battery.
Researcher Carolina Reyes, from the Swiss research institution Empa, said the new microbial fuel cell did not produce much electricity, but enough to power sensors for several days for agriculture or research in remote regions.
Ms Reyes said the biggest advantage of the fungal battery, unlike conventional batteries, was that it was not only completely non-toxic but also biodegradable.
“Like all living things, microorganisms convert nutrients into energy,” she said.
“Microbial fuel cells make use of this metabolism and capture part of the energy as electricity.
“For the first time, we have combined two types of fungi to create a functioning fuel cell.”
Ms Reyes said the metabolisms of the two species of fungi complemented each other.
“On the anode side there is a yeast fungus whose metabolism releases electrons. The cathode is colonized by a white rot fungus, which produces a special enzyme, allowing the electrons to be captured and conducted out of the cell.”
She said the fungi were not “planted” into the battery, but were an integral part of the cell from the outset.
Ms Reyes said the components of the fungal battery were manufactured using 3D printing and mixing the fungal cells into special ink.
“This allows the researchers to structure the electrodes in such a way that the microorganisms can access the nutrients as easily as possible.”
She said researchers now planned to make the fungal battery more powerful and longer-lasting and to look for other kinds of fungi that would be suitable for supplying electricity.
“Fungi are still under-researched and under-utilized, especially in the field of materials science.”
Read the full study: 3D Printed Cellulose-Based Fungal Battery.
