Within the FunBLueZ project we want to explore the commercial potential of fungal colourant for application in solar cells. In recent years, research has increasingly focused on sustainable,
natural product-derived materials for organic electronics. At MNEXT Avans we have obtained a fungal colourant that demonstrates promising properties as an organic semiconductor, with notable charge carrier mobilities and photocurrents under laser stimulation. The electronic quality of this colorant thin films has been confirmed, highlighting its potential in organic electronics. As the demand for renewable, environmentally friendly technologies grows, organic electronics stand out as a crucial field. The unique physical properties of our fungal colourant, including excellent photostability and electron transport capabilities, makes it a promising candidate for sustainable organic electronics, contributing to innovative circular economy solutions. Possible applications to explore are e.g. lightweight foldable solar cells and low light harvesting cells. Within MNEXT Avans we will focus on yield and process optimization through strain and fermentation improvement and medium optimization. The improvements will be evaluated to bring the current lab process to a scalable process with a potential viable business case. The possible solar cell applications will be investigated by a third party, TU Eindhoven.
