Numerical Simulation of a Microscale Dynamo Driven by Tethered, Magnetized Bacterial Cell

Abstract

Advancements in micro and nanofabrication techniques have lead to the development of power supplies of decreasing scale. This paper reports on the numerically simulated performance of a microscale dynamo created by integrating a magnetized Escherichia coli (E. coli) cell with a nanofabricated coil in a microfluidic system. We magnetize the cell with the attachment of magnetic beads to the cell wall and dictate the flagellar filaments tethered location to the center of 3D and 2D nanofabricated coils. When the flagella motor attempts to rotate the filament the cell body will rotate instead, inducing a current within the coil. Simulation results indicate 2D coils designs perform relatively better than 3D coils.