Strange Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 An incredibly simple way of making bacteria create little solar cells: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-40975719 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmydasaint Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 It seems that cadmium is seeded into bacterial culture and then the cadmium is crystallised, as a sulfide compound, on the surface in the form of semi conductors. The presence of cadmium is a limiting factor here. How much of it is present in the Earth (estimates?) and what is the use of the acetate which is made as a photosynthetic product? IMHO, this is exciting but at the first stage of making a useable fuel source for humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Posted August 23, 2017 Author Share Posted August 23, 2017 5 minutes ago, jimmydasaint said: The presence of cadmium is a limiting factor here. How much of it is present in the Earth (estimates?) 0.1 parts per million (the 65th most common element). A bigger problem is that it is extremely toxic. It has been replaced in nearly all of the industrial uses it had in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmydasaint Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 Thanks for that quick answer. Of course, heavy metals are required for the photochemisynthetic method. That makes it a health and safety hazard then and so unlikely to be used unless there is a secondary reaction where the acetate made is converted into a carbon-based fuel. That is a whole new field of investigation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts