Researchers Use Salmon DNA To Make LED Lightbulbs

Al writes "Researchers from the University of Connecticut have created a new light-emitting material by doping spun strands of salmon DNA with fluorescent dyes. The material, which is robust because DNA is such a strong polymer, absorbs energy from ultraviolet light and gives off different colors depending on the amounts of dye it contains. A team led by chemistry professor Gregory Sotzing created the new material by mixing salmon DNA with two types of dye, then pumping the solution from a fine needle while a voltage is applied between the needle tip and a grounded copper plate covered with a glass slide. As the liquid jet comes out, it dries and forms long nanofibers that are deposited on the glass slide as a mat. The researchers then spin this nanofiber mat directly on the surface of an ultraviolet LED to make a white-light emitter. The color-tunable DNA material relies on an energy-transfer mechanism between two different fluorescent dyes, and the DNA keeps the dye molecules separated at a distance of 2 to 10 nanometers from each other."

Comments

I'll get my coat

[iamapizza]

What bass voltage did he have to apply to get it to work?

Re:I'll get my coat

[treeves]

Based on Ohm's law, you'd take the (downstream) current and multiply by the resistance to get the voltage. Since you're dealing with a liquid, you could also divide by the conductivity, known as *roe*.

The whole thing's very fishy, yet....

[gestalt_n_pepper]

Energy efficient, yet stinky... I *like* it!

Meh

[Lord Grey]

... created the new material by mixing salmon DNA with two types of dye, then pumping the solution from a fine needle while a voltage is applied between the needle tip and a grounded copper plate covered with a glass slide. As the liquid jet comes out, it dries and forms long nanofibers that are deposited on the glass slide as a mat. The researchers then spin this nanofiber mat directly on the surface of an ultraviolet LED to make a white-light emitter.

I did this by accident once, while trying to make breakfast.

Who will win?

[davegravy]

I'm taking bets:

LED Salmon vs Laser Shark

Re:Compare to standard flourescent bulb?

[alta]

Sorry, fish are full of mercury!

Re:Why

[click2005]

It was to cover up the fact that the faculty spent $400k at last year's xmas party on caviar.

Re:Lightbulb jokes

[dvoecks]

Just two, my man, but how you get them in there is the tricky part.

Re:Compare to standard flourescent bulb?

[thedonger]

Since we already have white LED's, I'd guess the real benefit is the ability to give PETA something else about which they can complain..

There. Fixed that for you.

I was right!

[clovis]

My wife had been bugging me to throw out all those salmon I'd been keeping in the garage. "Whatever are you going to use them for?" she wanted to know. I'll show her this and then we'll know who's the clever one!

"Can we dominate a species more than that?"

[blind biker]

We'll eat your eggs by the spoonful, with Vodka. And your very DNA will be used as a fluorescent dye.

(I admit, I stole the idea for the joke from Louis CK. Genius comedian, that guy.)

Re:Compare to standard flourescent bulb?

[ballpoint]

The smell also needs to be compared. A flourescent bulb smells like wheat, a florescent bulb like roses, while this smells like fish.

Re:Compare to standard flourescent bulb?

[Anynomous Coward]

So this article is about a fishscent bulb, then ?