Lysozyme, a model protein abundant in egg whites, tears, saliva, and the milk of mammals, exhibits piezoelectric properties, enabling it to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy when subjected to pressure. This remarkable finding has significant implications for the development of innovative technologies.
WARNING! For the laymen, the preceding paragraphs have said all you need to know. The remaining parts of this piece would come with terminologies that might get you pissed.
Essentially, the scientists in their report presented experimental evidence of the direct piezoelectric effect in the globular protein lysozyme.
Usually, piezoelectric materials are used in many actuating and sensing applications. This is so because of their ability to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and the other way round.
The lead author of the study, Aimee Stapleton, emphasizes the novelty of this discovery when she says, “The capacity to generate electricity from this particular protein has not been explored.” She further highlights the extent of piezoelectricity in lysozyme crystals, comparable to that of quartz, a well-known piezoelectric material.
“However, because it is a biological material, it is non-toxic, so it could have many innovative applications, such as electroactive anti-microbial coatings for medical implants,” added Stapleton.
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Commenting, co-author Professor Tewfik Soulimane specified that they are the first to present facts indicating it’s possible to create electricity from tears.
“The high-precision structure of lysozyme crystals has been known since 1965. In fact, it is the second protein structure and the first enzyme structure that was ever solved,” Soulimane acknowledged. Thereafter, he noted that they “are the first to use these crystals to show evidence of piezoelectricity”.
Reporting this discovery, the University of Limerick asserted that it may have wide-reaching applications. It could trigger further research in the areas of energy harvesting and flexible electronics for biomedical devices.
