Researchers at MIT have found that using genetically altered viruses can increase the performance of lithium-air batteries. The main function facilitating this is a mixture of water and minerals and placing the virus inside. The virus then carries out several reactions with whats in the solution to produce a wire as small as a red blood cell. The upside to these wires as opposed to normally produced nano wires is that the surface of the wire is not smooth, it is spiky and rough. This greatly increases the surface area which will increase the conductivity.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131113125831.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUVrUIV4xu4
goes to show biology has applications outside of medicine. never would have imagined bacteria to be used for energy amplification
ReplyDelete