Bioprocess-inspired Actin Biomineralized Hematite Mesocrystals for Energy Storage

Abstract

Biomineralization is a biological process of synthesizing inorganic minerals within organisms. It has been found that intracellular proteins are involved in the room temperature synthesis process of anatase TiO₂ in living mussels. Here, we used intracellular actin to synthesize hematite by biomineralization. Biomineralized hematite has a nano spindle structure with a particle size of approximately 150 nm. The microstructure indicates that the prepared hematite is a mesocrystals composed of ordered arrangement and assembly of primary nanoparticles. In addition, hematite mesocrystals exhibit good lithium storage performance as electrode materials for lithium batteries. The discharge specific capacity of the battery remained at 560.7 mAh·g⁻¹ after 130 cycles at a current density of 200 mA·g⁻¹. This work expands the synthesis methods of hematite by biomineralization, and provides a new strategy for preparing inorganic materials by intracellular proteins.

Keywords

actin / hematite / biomineralization / mesocrystals / lithium battery

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