Researchers used chicken feathers to produce clean energy

Researchers from the Zurich Institute of Technology in collaboration with the Singapore University of Technology used chicken feathers to produce clean energy in a new way.

According to Tekna technology and technology news service, researchers in their recent study used chicken feathers in a cost-effective way to produce clean energy. Tiny fibers called amyloid fibrils were extracted from keratin protein found in chicken feathers, which can provide fuel cell energy.

Currently, 40 million tons of chicken feathers are produced annually, all of which are burned as waste. Also, as a result of burning chicken feathers, a large amount of carbon dioxide and dangerous gases such as sulfur dioxide are released into the air. For this reason, researchers tried to use chicken feathers to produce hydrogen power and reduce the problems related to burning it.

Raphael Merzenga, a professor of food from the University of Zurich, says in this regard: Research on the use of different food wastes in different ways to produce renewable energy has been going on for years. Now, recent progress could indicate that we are producing and consuming a substance that will release carbon monoxide and toxic gases when burned. But with the new method, in addition to preventing the emission of carbon dioxide, we will replace toxic substances with other substances.

Hydrogen is one of the many elements in the world that does not exist on earth and must be produced. Hydrogen production is also electrolysis, in which an electric current is used using a chemical process with the aim of driving a chemical reaction. In their future efforts, these researchers intend to make improvements on the keratin membrane of chicken feathers by examining the stability and durability.