Inventing materials to help produce electricity in the human body

On July 6, scientists from Tel Aviv University (Israel) announced a nanomaterial that can 'catch' parts of the body to produce electricity.

The Tel Aviv University scientist examined samples of microalgae during the study to demonstrate the ability of plants to evolve with the sun to generate energy. (Photo courtesy: AFP)

According to a reporter in Tel Aviv, this is the result of a research project led by Professor Ehud Gazit of the Shmunis School of Tel Aviv University. Professor Gazit said collagen is the most abundant protein in the body , with many important physical properties, such as flexibility and mechanical strength. However, because the collagen molecule is large and complex, researchers have long been looking for a simpler molecule with similar properties. Over a year ago, the team used nanotechnology to create a material that meets these requirements. This is a very short molecule, consisting of only three amino acids, that self-assembles to form a twisted structure as flexible as collagen and as strong as titanium.

Moreover, this material also has a property of collagen that is piezoelectric - that is, can generate an electric current under the action of mechanical force. In addition, experiments also show that this material, despite its extremely small structure, only a few hundred nanometers (1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter), has a much higher piezoelectric ability than piezoelectric materials. normally. Worth mentioning, most current piezoelectric materials contain lead, so they are not suitable for medical applications.

According to the researchers, the new type of piezoelectric material is of great significance. They could be used to create motors to generate electricity to power micro-devices implanted in the patient's body, such as pacemakers. The main source of energy that sustains the generator is the physical movements of parts of the body. "The heart rate, the movement of the jaw, the bowels or any other movement that takes place in the body on a regular basis - will charge the device," says Professor Gazit .