The proof-of-concept material could one day be used to make more sustainable buildings.
Microbes are known for their remarkable survival abilities. And now, scientists have discovered another remarkable trait: Turning cement into an electricity storage device.
In a study published September 9 in Cell Reports Physical Science, researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark describe how they seeded a bacteria called Shewanella oneidensis into cement. These particular bacteria are known to be good at transferring electrons across surfaces, and the researchers wondered if they could act as an energy transporter in cement.
Indeed, the cement came to life, with the bacteria establishing a “network of charge carriers capable of both storing and releasing electrical energy,” the researchers explained in a statement. In other words, the cement could store and release electricity, a finding that could one day enable more sustainable buildings.
