Protocell Computing on Aragonite Substrates

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biocomputing
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Aragonite-proteinoid microstructures combine inorganic calcium carbonate with organic proteinoid networks.
• These materials are being explored for their potential in novel computing paradigms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the computational capabilities of aragonite-proteinoid microstructures.
• To assess their suitability for bioelectronic and neuromorphic applications.

Main Methods:

• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for structural analysis.
• Electrochemical testing, including cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry.
• Impedance spectroscopy to analyze circuit features.

Main Results:

• Microstructures exhibit dendritic shapes and network topologies.
• Demonstrated Boolean logic operations (AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR, XNOR) by classifying analog signals.
• Optimal performance in the 30-50 Hz range with autonomous oscillatory behavior over 25 hours.
• Stable circuit features but increasing electrochemical degradation over time.

Conclusions:

• Aragonite-proteinoid microstructures show significant promise for material-based computation.
• Their adjustable electrochemical properties and autonomous signaling are ideal for biohybrid electronics and neuromorphic devices.
• The mineral-organic interface approach bridges synthetic materials with biological computing principles.