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Power generation from ambient humidity using protein nanowires

Author

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  • Xiaomeng Liu

    (University of Massachusetts)

  • Hongyan Gao

    (University of Massachusetts)

  • Joy E. Ward

    (University of Massachusetts)

  • Xiaorong Liu

    (University of Massachusetts)

  • Bing Yin

    (University of Massachusetts)

  • Tianda Fu

    (University of Massachusetts)

  • Jianhan Chen

    (University of Massachusetts
    University of Massachusetts
    University of Massachusetts)

  • Derek R. Lovley

    (University of Massachusetts
    University of Massachusetts)

  • Jun Yao

    (University of Massachusetts
    University of Massachusetts)

Abstract

Harvesting energy from the environment offers the promise of clean power for self-sustained systems1,2. Known technologies—such as solar cells, thermoelectric devices and mechanical generators—have specific environmental requirements that restrict where they can be deployed and limit their potential for continuous energy production3–5. The ubiquity of atmospheric moisture offers an alternative. However, existing moisture-based energy-harvesting technologies can produce only intermittent, brief (shorter than 50 seconds) bursts of power in the ambient environment, owing to the lack of a sustained conversion mechanism6–12. Here we show that thin-film devices made from nanometre-scale protein wires harvested from the microbe Geobacter sulfurreducens can generate continuous electric power in the ambient environment. The devices produce a sustained voltage of around 0.5 volts across a 7-micrometre-thick film, with a current density of around 17 microamperes per square centimetre. We find the driving force behind this energy generation to be a self-maintained moisture gradient that forms within the film when the film is exposed to the humidity that is naturally present in air. Connecting several devices linearly scales up the voltage and current to power electronics. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of a continuous energy-harvesting strategy that is less restricted by location or environmental conditions than other sustainable approaches.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaomeng Liu & Hongyan Gao & Joy E. Ward & Xiaorong Liu & Bing Yin & Tianda Fu & Jianhan Chen & Derek R. Lovley & Jun Yao, 2020. "Power generation from ambient humidity using protein nanowires," Nature, Nature, vol. 578(7796), pages 550-554, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:578:y:2020:i:7796:d:10.1038_s41586-020-2010-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2010-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Guoping Ren & Jie Ye & Qichang Hu & Dong Zhang & Yong Yuan & Shungui Zhou, 2024. "Growth of electroautotrophic microorganisms using hydrovoltaic energy through natural water evaporation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Song Zhang & Mingchao Chi & Jilong Mo & Tao Liu & Yanhua Liu & Qiu Fu & Jinlong Wang & Bin Luo & Ying Qin & Shuangfei Wang & Shuangxi Nie, 2022. "Bioinspired asymmetric amphiphilic surface for triboelectric enhanced efficient water harvesting," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Ce Yang & Haiyan Wang & Jiaxin Bai & Tiancheng He & Huhu Cheng & Tianlei Guang & Houze Yao & Liangti Qu, 2022. "Transfer learning enhanced water-enabled electricity generation in highly oriented graphene oxide nanochannels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Yuanyuan Zhao & Ju Liu & Gang Lu & Jinliang Zhang & Liyang Wan & Shan Peng & Chao Li & Yanlei Wang & Mingzhan Wang & Hongyan He & John H. Xin & Yulong Ding & Shuang Zheng, 2024. "Diurnal humidity cycle driven selective ion transport across clustered polycation membrane," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Zhuyuan Wang & Ting Hu & Mike Tebyetekerwa & Xiangkang Zeng & Fan Du & Yuan Kang & Xuefeng Li & Hao Zhang & Huanting Wang & Xiwang Zhang, 2024. "Electricity generation from carbon dioxide adsorption by spatially nanoconfined ion separation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Jiao, Shipu & Li, Yang & Li, Jingyu & Zhang, Yihao & Maryam, Bushra & Xu, Shuo & Liu, Miao & Li, Jiaxuan & Liu, Wanxin & Liu, Xianhua, 2024. "Water-enabled electricity generation on film structures: From materials to applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    7. Jiayue Tang & Yuanyuan Zhao & Mi Wang & Dianyu Wang & Xuan Yang & Ruiran Hao & Mingzhan Wang & Yanlei Wang & Hongyan He & John H. Xin & Shuang Zheng, 2022. "Circadian humidity fluctuation induced capillary flow for sustainable mobile energy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    8. Hongzhen Liu & Xianglin Ji & Zihao Guo & Xi Wei & Jinchen Fan & Peng Shi & Xiong Pu & Feng Gong & Lizhi Xu, 2024. "A high-current hydrogel generator with engineered mechanoionic asymmetry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    9. Feng, Y.H. & Dai, Y.J. & Wang, R.Z. & Ge, T.S., 2022. "Insights into desiccant-based internally-cooled dehumidification using porous sorbents: From a modeling viewpoint," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 311(C).
    10. Haiyan Wang & Tiancheng He & Xuanzhang Hao & Yaxin Huang & Houze Yao & Feng Liu & Huhu Cheng & Liangti Qu, 2022. "Moisture adsorption-desorption full cycle power generation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Jin Tan & Sunmiao Fang & Zhuhua Zhang & Jun Yin & Luxian Li & Xiang Wang & Wanlin Guo, 2022. "Self-sustained electricity generator driven by the compatible integration of ambient moisture adsorption and evaporation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    12. Su Yang & Lei Zhang & Jianfeng Mao & Jianmiao Guo & Yang Chai & Jianhua Hao & Wei Chen & Xiaoming Tao, 2024. "Green moisture-electric generator based on supramolecular hydrogel with tens of milliamp electricity toward practical applications," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    13. Xiaomeng Liu & Toshiyuki Ueki & Hongyan Gao & Trevor L. Woodard & Kelly P. Nevin & Tianda Fu & Shuai Fu & Lu Sun & Derek R. Lovley & Jun Yao, 2022. "Microbial biofilms for electricity generation from water evaporation and power to wearables," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    14. Chenyue Guo & Huajie Tang & Pengfei Wang & Qihao Xu & Haodan Pan & Xinyu Zhao & Fan Fan & Tingxian Li & Dongliang Zhao, 2024. "Radiative cooling assisted self-sustaining and highly efficient moisture energy harvesting," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    15. Yisha Jiang & Wenchao Liu & Tao Wang & Yitian Wu & Tingting Mei & Li Wang & Guoheng Xu & Yude Wang & Nannan Liu & Kai Xiao, 2024. "A nanofluidic chemoelectrical generator with enhanced energy harvesting by ion-electron Coulomb drag," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    16. Puying Li & Yajie Hu & Wenya He & Bing Lu & Haiyan Wang & Huhu Cheng & Liangti Qu, 2023. "Multistage coupling water-enabled electric generator with customizable energy output," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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