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*.

Re:Compare to standard flourescent bulb?

[alta]

Sorry, fish are full of mercury!

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.