About This Project

Bioelectric batteries and the generation of electricity using bacteria is currently inefficient and produces low power output. We hypothesize that increasing electron transfer to the anode will create a more efficient biobattery. We use nanowires to increase the surface area of the anode, design oxidase enzymes to bind directly to that anode, and engineer E. coli to produce bacterial nanowires in an effort to increase the efficiency of electron transfer.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Energy has become a necessity to sustain our society and to further its advancement. The depletion of fossil fuels and the need for clean energy production has called attention to biofuel cells which convert chemical energy into electrical energy via enzymatic reactions. This source of energy is sustainable, renewable, and does not emit CO₂. Conventional fuel cells are generally cost-ineffective in regards to energy production. In addition, once one of the active masses in a conventional fuel cell is fully consumed, the current-producing reaction ceases. Scientists have shown glucose powered biofuel cells to hold much promise. As a resource, glucose is energy dense, cost-efficient, and abundant. It also represents a clean source of power.

What is the significance of this project?

One day we will be able to power electronics using bacteria. To make progress towards this future, we first need to build a system that can sustain low power devices, such as a watch. Ultimately small increases in efficiency will lead to large advancements in biological power sources. For our project, we attempt to enhance an already established biofuel system by increasing electron production, while at the same time, decreasing the distance of electron transfer at the anode. Our engineered oxidizing enzymes, in combination with microbial cells that grow bacterial nanowires allows for a system that can directly adhere the electron production to the anode. We expect we will see more efficient transfer of electrons, thus generating more electricity.

What are the goals of the project?

We will make a battery made entirely powered by bacteria that are optimized for electron production. To optimize electron production, we hypothesize that our system will increase electron transfer to the anode. We will attempt to increase efficiency by increasing surface area of the anode. This, in turn, reduces the distance in which electrons need to travel, and produces bacterial nanowires, which are the electrically conductive appendages of the bacteria, to direct electron transfer from the cell membrane.