Nanostructured deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a filler in piezoelectric polymers for the design of sustainable bio-engineered energy harvesters

We are surrounded by low-frequency magnetic fields generated by electrical power lines and consumer electronics. As a by-product of electric current flow, the stray magnetic field causes electromagnetic interference and noise pollution, threatening data security and human health. Similar to sunlight and wind energy, the abundant electromagnetic waste energy can be renewably harvested by using electromagnetic nanogenerators and converted into useful electricity. Recently, bio-inspired commodity polymer hybrids utilizing bacteria and DNA, as fillers induce excellent properties in piezoelectric polymers for impressive energy conversion. This shed lights on the prospects of deploying bio-engineered piezoelectric polymers materials for fabricating bio-based energy generators for the future. Our work develops soft and flexible bio-based environmental magnetic energy harvesters by the exploiting the interfacial combination of nanostructured magnetic materials and biomolecules such as DNA to construct bio-engineered DNA-embedded piezoelectric systems. These bio-inspired systems show promising application for efficient and sustainable magnetic energy harvesting and conversion as an alternative renewable energy source.