University of Massachusetts

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Derek R Lovley

Kelly P Nevin

Jun Yao

Mounir Izallalen

Toshiyuki Ueki

Zarath Morgan Summers

Shelley Annette Haveman

Xiaomeng Liu

Minjuan Zhang

Hongfei Jia

Todd Emrick

Frank Loeffler

Sarah Strycharz

Gemma Reguera

Nikhil Malvankar

Kevin D McCarthy

Kelly N Lovley

Mark T Tuominem

Tianda Fu

Ramesh Adhikari

Brian Montz

Yun-Lu Sun

Alexander Smith

Yang Tan

Hana Yi

Joy Ward

An electric power generation system is provided. The electric power generation system includes an electric power generation device and an ambient environment comprising an atmospheric relative humidity of at least 20%. The electric power generation device includes a thin film of protein nanowires or a nanowire composite, the thin film having an opposing first surface and second surface. The electric power generation device also includes a first electrode and a second electrode, electrically connected to the first surface and second surface, respectively, of the thin film. At least one of the first surface and the second surface of the thin film is at least partially exposed to the ambient environment. A moisture gradient and charge gradient is therefore created and maintained in the thin film to continuously generate power.

Electric power generation from ambient humidity using protein nanowires

The present invention provides, in various embodiments, electrically conductive protein nanowires (e-PNs) having surface exposed peptides that confer additional sensing capabilities and/or enhance binding to other materials, as well as fusion proteins and methods for making such nanowires. The present invention also provides sensor devices comprising the nanowires.

Microbial nanowires modified to contain peptides and methods of making

A gas sensor includes a biomaterial comprising electrically-conductive protein nanowires and at least two electrodes. The at least two electrodes are in operative arrangement with the protein nanowires and configured to provide a signal indicative of a change in conductivity of the protein nanowires. The conductivity of the protein nanowires is responsive to a change in concentration of a gas exposed to the biomaterial, such as ammonia, or to a change in relative humidity.

Sensors comprising electrically-conductive protein nanowires

Electrically conductive polymeric composite materials include microbially produced protein nanowires. The conductive composites are useful in diverse electronic materials applications, particularly in applications requiring biocompatibility, such as sensors and wearable electronics.

Conductive composite materials fabricated with protein nanowires

A memristive device includes a biomaterial comprising protein nanowires and at least two electrodes in operative arrangement with the biomaterial such that an applied voltage induces conductance switching. An artificial neuron or an artificial synapse includes a memrisitive device with the electrodes configured to apply a pulsed voltage configured to mimic an action-potential input.

Memristor device comprising protein nanowires

Improved electrically conductive pili were generated from a natural pilus protein from the microorganism. Substituting a tryptophan for the phenylalanine at position F51 and a tryptophan for the tyrosine at position Y57 of the pilus monomer substantially increased the conductivity of the pili and reduced their diameter to 1.5 nm. Substantial improvements in conductivity were also achieved by substituting an additional tyrosine, histidine, and phenylalanine in the pilus monomer to mimic the monomer of, but the pili retained the typicalwild-type diameter of 3 nm.

Microbial nanowires with increased conductivity and reduced diameters

A genetically engineered strain ofexhibits improved function as a cathode biofilm compared to the wild type strain. The genetically engineeredstrain is capable of using carbon dioxide as a carbon source and electrical current as an energy source for producing a carbonaceous chemical using a reverse tricarboxylic acid pathway.

Microbial strain for electrosynthesis and electrofermentation

The invention provides systems and methods for generating organic compounds using carbon dioxide as a source of carbon and electrical current as an energy source. In one embodiment, a reaction cell is provided having a cathode electrode and an anode electrode that are connected to a source of electrical power, and which are separated by a permeable membrane. A biological film is provided on the cathode. The biological film comprises a bacterium that can accept electrons and that can convert carbon dioxide to a carbon-bearing compound and water in a cathode half-reaction. At the anode, water is decomposed to free molecular oxygen and solvated protons in an anode half-reaction. The half-reactions are driven by the application of electrical current from an external source. Compounds that have been produced include acetate, butanol, 2-oxobutyrate, propanol, ethanol, and formate.

Microbial production of multi-carbon chemicals and fuels from water and carbon dioxide using electric current

In preferred embodiments, the present invention provides new isolated strains of aspecies that are capable of using a carbon source that is selected from Cto Corganic compounds selected from pyruvate or metabolic precursors of pyruvate as an electron donor in metabolism and in subsequent energy production. The wild type strain of the microorganisms has been shown to be unable to use these Cto Corganic compounds as electron donors. The inventive strains of microorganisms are useful for improving bioremediation applications, including in situ bioremediation (including uranium bioremediation and halogenated solvent bioremediation), microbial fuel cells, power generation from small and large-scale waste facilities (e.g., biomass waste from dairy, agriculture, food processing, brewery, or vintner industries, etc.) using microbial fuel cells, and other applications of microbial fuel cells, including, but not limited to, improved electrical power supplies for environmental sensors, electronic devices, and electric vehicles.

Geobacter strains that use alternate organic compounds, methods of making, and methods of use thereof

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of producing genetically modified strains of electricigenic microbes that are specifically adapted for the production of electrical current in microbial fuel cells, as well as strains produced by such methods and fuel cells using such strains. In preferred embodiments, the present invention provides genetically modified strains ofand methods of using such strains.

Geobacteraceae strains and methods

An aerobic microbial fuel cell anode electrode, a fuel cell using the anode, and methods of use. An anode electrode having a conductive exterior surface and having sufficient porosity to allow a fuel-bearing liquid flowing in a cavity within the anode to escape and to supply fuel to a biologically active microbe film grown on the exterior of the anode is situated in the fuel cell. When operated in an aerobic environment, such as water, the anode and a cathode can supply electrical power to a load without the need for a semi-permeable membrane between the anode and the cathode. Several embodiments in which the anode electrode is machined from a graphite block or cylinder are described. Conditions for growing the biologically active film and for operating the fuel cell are described.

Aerobic microbial fuel cell

In preferred embodiments, the present invention provides new isolated strains of aspecies that are capable of using a carbon source that is selected from Cto Corganic compounds selected from pyruvate or metabolic precursors of pyruvate as an electron donor in metabolism and in subsequent energy production. In other aspects, other preferred embodiments of the present invention include methods of making such strains and methods of using such strains. In general, the wild type strain of the microorganisms has been shown to be unable to use these Cto Corganic compounds as electron donors in metabolic steps such as the reduction of metallic ions. The inventive strains of microorganisms are useful for improving bioremediation applications, including in situ bioremediation (including uranium bioremediation and halogenated solvent bioremediation), microbial fuel cells, power generation from small and large-scale waste facilities (e.g., biomass waste from dairy, agriculture, food processing, brewery, or vintner industries, etc.) using microbial fuel cells, and other applications of microbial fuel cells, including, but not limited to, improved electrical power supplies for environmental sensors, electronic devices, and electric vehicles.

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A microbial fuel cell is provided according to embodiments of the present invention including electricigenic microbes containing at least about 0.075 milligrams of protein per square centimeter of the anode surface area. In particular embodiments, the electricigenic microbes are disposed on the anode such that at least about 90% of the portion of the anode surface area has a layer of electricigenic microbes, the layer greater than about 1 micron in thickness. This thickness is indicative of the layer including at least a first stratum of electricigenic microbes in direct contact with the anode and a second stratum of electricigenic microbes in direct contact with the first stratum such that the second stratum is in indirect contact with the anode.

Microbial fuel cells

In preferred embodiments, bioremediation systems are provided that comprise electricigenic microbes that use electrons provided directly from the anode of an electrical bioremediation system to carry out reductive dehalogenation of halogenated hydrocarbon contaminants, including chlorinated solvents. The present invention also provides methods of performing in situ bioremediation of halogenated solvents in groundwater or soil through the use of the provided systems.

Growing community of inventors

Leyden, MA, United States of America

Derek R Lovley