Phys.org  April 12, 2023 Controllable microbial electrocatalytic activity in a miniaturized microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with unlimited biodegradable energy resources would enable simple power generation in various environmental settings. However, the short shelf-life of living biocatalysts, few ways to activate the stored biocatalysts, and extremely low electrocatalytic capabilities render the miniature MFCs unsuitable for practical use. Researchers at State University of New York at Binghamton used heat-activated Bacillus subtilis spores as a dormant biocatalyst that could survive storage and rapidly germinate when exposed to special nutrients that are preloaded in the device. A microporous, graphene hydrogel allowed the adsorption of […]