Abstract
Modern civilization is dependent upon fossil fuels, a nonrenewable energy source originally provided by the storage of solar energy. Fossil-fuel dependence has severe consequences, including energy security issues and greenhouse gas emissions. The consequences of fossil-fuel dependence could be avoided by fuel-producing artificial systems that mimic natural photosynthesis, directly converting solar energy to fuel. This review describes the three key components of solar energy conversion in photosynthesis: light harvesting, charge separation, and catalysis. These processes are compared in natural and in artificial systems. Such a comparison can assist in understanding the general principles of photosynthesis and in developing working devices, including photoelectrochemical cells, for solar energy conversion.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 434-447 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Chemistry and Biology |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Drug Discovery
- Molecular Biology
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Molecular Medicine
- Pharmacology
Cite this
Energy conversion in natural and artificial photosynthesis. / McConnell, Iain; Li, Gonghu; Brudvig, Gary W.
In: Chemistry and Biology, Vol. 17, No. 5, 2010, p. 434-447.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Energy conversion in natural and artificial photosynthesis
AU - McConnell, Iain
AU - Li, Gonghu
AU - Brudvig, Gary W
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Modern civilization is dependent upon fossil fuels, a nonrenewable energy source originally provided by the storage of solar energy. Fossil-fuel dependence has severe consequences, including energy security issues and greenhouse gas emissions. The consequences of fossil-fuel dependence could be avoided by fuel-producing artificial systems that mimic natural photosynthesis, directly converting solar energy to fuel. This review describes the three key components of solar energy conversion in photosynthesis: light harvesting, charge separation, and catalysis. These processes are compared in natural and in artificial systems. Such a comparison can assist in understanding the general principles of photosynthesis and in developing working devices, including photoelectrochemical cells, for solar energy conversion.
AB - Modern civilization is dependent upon fossil fuels, a nonrenewable energy source originally provided by the storage of solar energy. Fossil-fuel dependence has severe consequences, including energy security issues and greenhouse gas emissions. The consequences of fossil-fuel dependence could be avoided by fuel-producing artificial systems that mimic natural photosynthesis, directly converting solar energy to fuel. This review describes the three key components of solar energy conversion in photosynthesis: light harvesting, charge separation, and catalysis. These processes are compared in natural and in artificial systems. Such a comparison can assist in understanding the general principles of photosynthesis and in developing working devices, including photoelectrochemical cells, for solar energy conversion.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954196565&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77954196565&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chembiol.2010.05.005
DO - 10.1016/j.chembiol.2010.05.005
M3 - Article
VL - 17
SP - 434
EP - 447
JO - Cell Chemical Biology
JF - Cell Chemical Biology
SN - 2451-9448
IS - 5
ER -