Waste from apple juice production improves chickens’ health. When they die, chicken feathers are generally burned.
This fact gave an international research team from Zurich and Singapore pause. In particular, as the 40 tons of feather waste discarded annually produce CO2 while containing 90% keratin.
The team extracted the protein, turned it into extremely fine fibres and used the material to create membranes.
The perfect replacement for those made with ‘forever chemicals’, the new membranes are put into fuel cells, which generate electricity from hydrogen. A patent is pending.
Instead of precious metals, specially treated aluminium could serve as a catalyst for fuel cells; and yeast is boosting hydrogen production.
