SCIENTISTS in Limerick have found that applying pressure to a protein found in egg whites and tears can generate electricity.
The University of Limerick researchers made the discovery about crystals of lysozyme – a model protein abundant in birds' egg whites as well as in mammals' tears, saliva and milk.
Generating electricity by applying pressure is known as direct piezoelectricity, and is a property of materials such as quartz.
Such materials are used in a variety of applications ranging from vibrators in mobile phones to deep ocean sonars.
Lead author Aimee Stapleton said: "While piezoelectricity is used all around us, the capacity to generate electricity from this particular protein had not been explored.
"The extent of the piezoelectricity in lysozyme crystals is significant. It is of the same order of magnitude found in quartz.
"However, because it is a biological material, it is non toxic so it could have many innovative applications such as electroactive anti-microbial coatings for medical implants."
