A "bionic mushroom" capable of generating its own electricity. It was created by scientists from the Stevens Institute of Technology.(Photo: Stevens Institute of Technology)

Scientists have described in a study published Wednesday a "bionic mushroom" capable of producing its own electricity.

To do this, researchers used cyanobacteria, a blue-green bacterium that derives its energy from photosynthesis in the manner of plants.

Researchers at the Stevens Institute for Technology have stated that microbes were known in the bioengineering community to produce electricity, but that they did not last that long because the artificial surfaces used to house the bacteria could not maintain it long enough.

For their study, Manu Mannoor, assistant professor in mechanical engineering at the institute, and Sudeep Joshi, postdoctoral fellow, have tried a button fungus.

Their study published in Nano Letters, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, discovered that properties located in the fungus allowed cyanobacteria to survive longer while producing electricity.

To create the "bionic mushroom", the researchers used a 3D printer to create two types of electronic ink patterns, one containing the bacteria and the other containing graphene nanoribbons to collect the current. These motifs were placed on the cap of the mushroom.

In an email to the United States today, Mannoor said he integrated the microbes and fungus so that "cyanobacteria can produce energy through photosynthesis, while the fungus provides them with a" shelter. "appropriate for this purpose".

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"The characteristics of this shelter include the moisture, the biophysiological conditions conducive to the longevity of bacteria, as well as the geometry of the mushroom head that provides enough sunlight," he said.

The fungus could create a current of about 65 nanoAmps. Although the fungus is not powerful enough to power a device, the researchers say that many of them could accumulate enough electrical power to illuminate an LED.

In a statement, Mannoor said the study could pave the way for greater opportunities in bioelectricity. "By seamlessly integrating these microbes into nanomaterials, we could potentially achieve many other bio-hybrids of amazing designers for the environment, defense, health and many other areas."

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