Magnetosome Compositions, Scale-up, Processing, and Fabrication When Compared to Fe-O Type

Lead organization: Superbrewed Food 

Project partners: Lockheed Martin  

Year launched: 2021 

This project will explore the production of novel magnetic nanoparticles that have been doped with various transition metals to modify their magnetic properties. These magnetic nanoparticles have high chemical purity, very specific structure, a natural chain structure, and exhibit narrow size distribution, which make them highly desirable for use in electronics, biotechnology, biomedical, energy storage, and defense applications. 

Researchers believe that controlled doping, combined with their high-productivity chemostat system, could allow for the ability to tune composition and magnetic properties of magnetosomes to include coercivity and magnetization. This could broaden the range of applications, and further improve performance in existing applications. Once scaled, material testing and evaluation on the physically and biologically tailored nanoparticles will be conducted at Lockheed Martin. 

Previously, a thorough exploration of the magnetic properties and potential incorporation of magnetosomes into defense and commercial applications was limited due to material quantity and testing constraints.

Fortunately, Superbrewed Food has successfully improved the process engineering and growth conditions for these fastidious organisms which has resulted in over 9,000 hours of continuous production. Superbrewed Food has been able to generate the first reliable supply of magnetosomes for broad application testing that can be used by the Department of Defense, defense contractors, universities, and U.S. companies. 

Funding source: BioMADE Project Call 1.0