Ten years ago, Derrick Lewulli, a microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his colleagues had suggested that a microorganism called Geobacter could produce tiny current leads (ie, Microbial nanowires), but this scientific assumption has long been in dispute and questioned. The new imaging technology now provides this hypothesis with stronger evidence than ever before.
The Levli team reported in the latest issue of the journal Nature Nanotechnology that they use electrostatically driven microscopes (EFM) to prove that the charge does indeed propagate along the nanowires of microorganisms, just as electrons can be used in highly conductive artificial materials. Carbon nanotubes flow the same.
EFM is used to show how electrons move in materials. The University of Massachusetts physicists Nick Hill Malvanco, Sbel Abey Yao Yao and Mark Tomini collaborated with Levli to find out. "When we inject electrons into a point on the microbial nanowires, the entire filament is ignited because the electrons travel and propagate along the nanowires," Malvanco said.
Now, Yao Yao, who works at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, added: "This phenomenon is the same as that you see in carbon nanotubes or other highly conductive nanocomposites. The density of the charge can be comparable to this. EFM imaging technology was first applied to the biological protein science."
According to reports, the Geobacillus nanowire is a protein filament that can transmit electrons like metal-like composite wires, but this hypothesis has always been questioned. “The conductivity of this material can be clearly seen in different temperatures and changes in pH, but there are still many biologists questioned this.†According to the physicist organization network on October 20 (Beijing time In order to increase support for the hypothesis, Levli's laboratory adjusted the structure of the nanowires and removed the aromatic amino acids, but it was questioned more. However, EFM eventually lived up to expectations and provided key evidence.
Levli said: “The nanowires can allow the genus Geobacillus to survive in the steel or other materials in the land, can greatly change the chemical composition of the soil, and play a very important role in environmental purification. The nanowire is a bacterium of the genus Geobacillus. The key component of this microbe is its unique ability to adapt to microbial sensors and biological computer equipment.â€
Tomini said: "This discovery has provided new opportunities for the development of nanoelectronics at the protein level."
Laurely and colleagues' microbiological nanowires are a potential green electronic component made from entirely new non-toxic materials. One application that is currently under development is to place microorganisms of the genus Geobacillus in electrical conductors to detect environmental pollutants. The other is the development of a microbial computer based on this microorganism. (Reporter Fang Linlin)
Taper Shank Drill Bit,Shank Drill Bit,Alloy Steel Drill Bit,Machine Tool Drill Bits
Danyang Yongshun Tools Co.,Ltd , https://www.china-drill-bit.com