Emerging Technology Intersections and Partnerships for Counterproliferation Proceedings of a Workshop (2020) / Chapter Skim
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7 Harnessing Biology to Make New Materials for Applications Such as Gas Storage, Energy Storage, and Chemical Remediation
7 Harnessing Biology to Make New Materials for Applications Such as Gas Storage, Energy Storage, and Chemical Remediation
Pages 45-53
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From page 45... ...
Harnessing Biology to Make New Materials for Applications Such as Gas Storage, Energy Storage, and Chemical Remediation 45
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From page 46... ...
Further, because it is very application-focused, it works on applications related to energy, health care, and the environment. She noted that her laboratory is working on applications for solar cells and batteries, fuel, enhanced oil recovery, carbon dioxide (CO2)
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bacteriophage, that only infects bacterial hosts and has just a few genes; the genes it does have code for the proteins it comprises. She noted that once injected with a random DNA sequence, the bacteriophage codes for a random peptide sequence, a process that can be repeated a billion times and will yield a billion bacteriophage viruses that are all genetically identical to each other except for a few amino acids.
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From page 48... ...
Belcher's team has defined DNA sequences for roughly 150 kinds of materials, which can be categorized by usage, such as catalysis and energy storage, solar, magnetic, and a "miscellaneous" use category that includes materials such as transparent aluminum. Belcher said that as part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
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From page 49... ...
It began by using biology to make new catalyst electrodes for lithium ion batteries, again using multiple genes to grow multiple kinds of materials. She said that by incorporating palladium, the team was able to show a seven-fold improvement in current density with a decreased presence of total noble metals.
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From page 50... ...
Using biology, Belcher's team achieved very good energy densities, on the order of 300-watt hours per kilogram, cycle life above 1,000, and a fairly good rate capability that surpassed current lithium ion batteries. She said they realized a 37-percent improvement in capacity (which is the voltage versus capacity in milliamp-hours per gram)
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was focused on filtration masks for the warfighter, Belcher said that is has also been able to weave the material into protective clothing. She showed a photograph of an infinity scarf made from a polymer that was woven with filter material; it could be worn as a scarf or pulled up over the face for protection by first responders or people who do not know whether they are facing a situation involving chemical weapon agents.
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She said her team has achieved similar success for radioactivity. Belcher wanted to leave the audience with the message that "you can convince biology to do a lot of things that it wasn't naturally evolved to do, it just needs the opportunity." Mallory Stewart, a planning committee member, asked about what international restrictions Belcher has, if any, with respect to collaboration, student participation, and communication, citing not only Belcher's unique status at MIT and the academic environment, but also her input into the national security dialogue and her national security clients.
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From page 53... ...
However, she again emphasized that all the work done at her laboratory is really basic science. Harnessing Biology to Make New Materials for Applications Such as Gas Storage, Energy Storage, and Chemical Remediation 53
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