Scientists generate electricity from silk worm cocoons

Indian scientists have successfully generated electricity by using silk worm cocoons, which can be used to run low power electronic devices.

A research study in this regard titled 'Electricity from silk cocoon membranes' was recently published in scientific reports of Nature journal.

'We have given the proof of the concept. Our system could produce electricity that generated sufficient power to operate a small LED bulb.

This can be expanded by bringing about modifications and increasing the surface area,' said Sushil Kumar Singh one of the lead researchers.

'This can be used as a battery, charging device and even a capacitor,' Singh added.

The researchers made a bio-hybrid device from silk cocoons which behaved as an energy converter and capacitor. This device got charged on being exposed to temperature and humidity. The researchers infused water vapour inside the silk cocoons. Two species of cocoons were used and the membranes were made humid.

Another lead researcher Mainak Das of IIT Kanpur said, 'This is a small step. When perfected further this could be an answer to waste heat management.'

These findings, if perfected and blended into technological endeavors, could offer a greener route for synthsesising a self-operating bio-hybrid solid-state device, according to Das.