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Electricity generation from digitally printed cyanobacteria

Author

Listed:
  • Marin Sawa

    (University of Arts London
    Imperial College London, Sir Ernst Chain Building – Wolfson Laboratories, South Kensington Campus)

  • Andrea Fantuzzi

    (Imperial College London, Sir Ernst Chain Building – Wolfson Laboratories, South Kensington Campus)

  • Paolo Bombelli

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Christopher J. Howe

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Klaus Hellgardt

    (Imperial College London, Bone Building, South Kensington Campus)

  • Peter J. Nixon

    (Imperial College London, Sir Ernst Chain Building – Wolfson Laboratories, South Kensington Campus)

Abstract

Microbial biophotovoltaic cells exploit the ability of cyanobacteria and microalgae to convert light energy into electrical current using water as the source of electrons. Such bioelectrochemical systems have a clear advantage over more conventional microbial fuel cells which require the input of organic carbon for microbial growth. However, innovative approaches are needed to address scale-up issues associated with the fabrication of the inorganic (electrodes) and biological (microbe) parts of the biophotovoltaic device. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of using a simple commercial inkjet printer to fabricate a thin-film paper-based biophotovoltaic cell consisting of a layer of cyanobacterial cells on top of a carbon nanotube conducting surface. We show that these printed cyanobacteria are capable of generating a sustained electrical current both in the dark (as a ‘solar bio-battery’) and in response to light (as a ‘bio-solar-panel’) with potential applications in low-power devices.

Suggested Citation

  • Marin Sawa & Andrea Fantuzzi & Paolo Bombelli & Christopher J. Howe & Klaus Hellgardt & Peter J. Nixon, 2017. "Electricity generation from digitally printed cyanobacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-01084-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01084-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Debika Datta & Elliot L. Weiss & Daniel Wangpraseurt & Erica Hild & Shaochen Chen & James W. Golden & Susan S. Golden & Jonathan K. Pokorski, 2023. "Phenotypically complex living materials containing engineered cyanobacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Shoko Kusama & Seiji Kojima & Ken Kimura & Ginga Shimakawa & Chikahiro Miyake & Kenya Tanaka & Yasuaki Okumura & Shuji Nakanishi, 2022. "Order-of-magnitude enhancement in photocurrent generation of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 by outer membrane deprivation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

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