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Here, we report a procedure to obtain novel artificial materials using either fungal or isolated tobacco cells in association with different percentages of carbon nanotubes. The electrical, mechanical, and optical properties of these materials have been determined. The produced bio-nano-composite materials have linear electrical characteristics, high temperature stability up to 180 °C, linear increase of the electrical conductivity with increasing temperature and, in one case, also optical transparency. Using tobacco cells, we obtained a material with low mass density and mechanical properties suitable for structural applications along with high electrical conductivity. We also present theoretical models both for their mechanical and electrical behavior. These findings report a procedure for the next generation bio-nano-composite materials.

A Candida albicans/multiwalled carbon nanotube (Ca/MWCNTs) composite material has been produced. It can be used as a temperature-sensing element operative in a wide temperature range (up to 100 °C). The Ca/MWCNTs composite has excellent linear current-voltage characteristics when combined with coplanar gold electrodes. We used growing cells of C. albicans to structure the CNT-based composite. The fungus C. albicans combined with MWCNTs coprecipitated as an aggregate of cells and nanotubes that formed a viscous material. Microscopic analyses showed that Ca/MWCNTs formed a sort of artificial tissue. Slow temperature cycling was performed up to 12 days showing a stabilization of the temperature response of the material.