Patent ID: 8841105

Claim:
An organic-inorganic composite material obtained by chemically modifying a microorganism derived ceramic material comprising a Fe atom and a Si atom with an organic group, wherein the chemical modification with the organic group is performed by reacting the microorganism derived ceramic material with a silane coupling agent, wherein the organic group contains at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a carboxylic acid ester group, an amide group, an imido group, a cyano group, an isocyano group, an aldehyde group, a ketone group, an imino group, an amino group, an azido group, a nitro group, a hydroxy group, an ether group, an epoxy group, an isocyanato group, an isothiocyanato group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, a thiol group, a sulfide group, a sulfonic acid group, a sulfonic acid ester group, a sulfoxide group, a heterocyclic ring, a halogen atom, a silicon atom, a titanium atom, an aluminum atom and a phosphorus atom, wherein the microorganism is a bacterium that belongs to the genus Leptothrix, Gallionella, Sphaerotilus, Clonothrix, Toxothrix, Sideromonas, Siderocapsa , or Siderococcus , and wherein silane coupling agent loading on the microorganism-derived ceramic material is at least 6.2% (w/w) calculated from the carbon content.