WASHINGTON: Scientists have created a cheap and efficient biomaterial that catalyses the formation of hydrogen, an advance that may lead to environmentally friendly ways of producing biofuel. Researchers at Indiana University (IU) produced the material which is 150 times more efficient than the unaltered form of the enzyme, and gains strength from being protected within the protein shell — or capsid — of a bacterial virus.
"We have taken a virus's ability to self-assemble myriad genetic building blocks and incorporated a very fragile and sensitive enzyme to take in protons and spit out hydrogen gas," said lead author Trevor Douglas.
The genetic material used to create the enzyme, hydrogenase, is produced by two genes from the common bacteria Escherichia coli which is inserted inside the protective capsid.
The resulting biomaterial, called 'P22-Hyd,' is not only more efficient than the unaltered enzyme but also is produced through a simple fermentation process at room temperature. P22-Hyd both breaks the chemical bonds of water to create hydrogen and also works in reverse to recombine hydrogen and oxygen to generate power.
"The reaction runs both ways — it can be used as a hydrogen production catalyst or as a fuel cell catalyst," said Douglas.
