GoKawiilBacteria found making their own conductive metal-organic frameworks
Researchers have identified living microorganisms that naturally produce metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), synthetic materials usually engineered in labs, and these biological versions show exceptional electrical conductivity. The discovery marks the first known case of organisms generating MOFs on their own. MOF chemistry pioneers Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi previously won the Nobel Prize for developing these porous materials synthetically.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
If microbes can be shown to reliably produce conductive MOFs, this could open a biological route to manufacturing materials currently made through energy-intensive chemical synthesis, researchers suggest. It also raises questions about what natural role these structures play within the organisms themselves, which remains to be explored.
- Living organisms were found producing MOFs naturally for the first time
- The biologically made MOFs exhibit notably high conductivity
- Discovery could hint at new, less synthetic ways to manufacture these materials
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