Abstract
Current interest in natural photosynthesis as a blueprint for solar energy conversion has led to the development of a biohybrid photovoltaic cell in which bacterial photosynthetic membrane vesicles (chromatophores) have been adsorbed to a gold electrode surface in conjunction with biological electrolytes (quinone [Q] and cytochrome c; Magis et al. [2010] Biochim. Biophys. Acta1798, 637-645). Since light-driven current generation was dependent on an open circuit potential, we have tested whether this external potential could be replaced in an appropriately designed dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Herein, we show that a DSSC system in which the organic light-harvesting dye is replaced by robust chromatophores from Rhodospirillum rubrum, together with Q and cytochrome c as electrolytes, provides band energies between consecutive interfaces that facilitate a unidirectional flow of electrons. Solar I-V testing revealed a relatively high Isc (short-circuit current) of 25 μA cm -2 and the cell was capable of generating a current utilizing abundant near-IR photons (maximum at ca 880 nm) with greater than eight-fold higher energy conversion efficiency than white light. These studies represent a powerful demonstration of the photoexcitation properties of a biological system in a closed solid-state device and its successful implementation in a functioning solar cell.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1467-1472 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Photochemistry and Photobiology |
| Volume | 88 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2012 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Near-IR absorbing solar cell sensitized with bacterial photosynthetic membranes. / Woronowicz, Kamil; Ahmed, Saquib; Biradar, Archana A.; Biradar, Ankush V.; Birnie, Dunbar P; Asefa, Teddy; Niederman, Robert A.
In: Photochemistry and Photobiology, Vol. 88, No. 6, 11.2012, p. 1467-1472.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Near-IR absorbing solar cell sensitized with bacterial photosynthetic membranes
AU - Woronowicz, Kamil
AU - Ahmed, Saquib
AU - Biradar, Archana A.
AU - Biradar, Ankush V.
AU - Birnie, Dunbar P
AU - Asefa, Teddy
AU - Niederman, Robert A.
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - Current interest in natural photosynthesis as a blueprint for solar energy conversion has led to the development of a biohybrid photovoltaic cell in which bacterial photosynthetic membrane vesicles (chromatophores) have been adsorbed to a gold electrode surface in conjunction with biological electrolytes (quinone [Q] and cytochrome c; Magis et al. [2010] Biochim. Biophys. Acta1798, 637-645). Since light-driven current generation was dependent on an open circuit potential, we have tested whether this external potential could be replaced in an appropriately designed dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Herein, we show that a DSSC system in which the organic light-harvesting dye is replaced by robust chromatophores from Rhodospirillum rubrum, together with Q and cytochrome c as electrolytes, provides band energies between consecutive interfaces that facilitate a unidirectional flow of electrons. Solar I-V testing revealed a relatively high Isc (short-circuit current) of 25 μA cm -2 and the cell was capable of generating a current utilizing abundant near-IR photons (maximum at ca 880 nm) with greater than eight-fold higher energy conversion efficiency than white light. These studies represent a powerful demonstration of the photoexcitation properties of a biological system in a closed solid-state device and its successful implementation in a functioning solar cell.
AB - Current interest in natural photosynthesis as a blueprint for solar energy conversion has led to the development of a biohybrid photovoltaic cell in which bacterial photosynthetic membrane vesicles (chromatophores) have been adsorbed to a gold electrode surface in conjunction with biological electrolytes (quinone [Q] and cytochrome c; Magis et al. [2010] Biochim. Biophys. Acta1798, 637-645). Since light-driven current generation was dependent on an open circuit potential, we have tested whether this external potential could be replaced in an appropriately designed dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Herein, we show that a DSSC system in which the organic light-harvesting dye is replaced by robust chromatophores from Rhodospirillum rubrum, together with Q and cytochrome c as electrolytes, provides band energies between consecutive interfaces that facilitate a unidirectional flow of electrons. Solar I-V testing revealed a relatively high Isc (short-circuit current) of 25 μA cm -2 and the cell was capable of generating a current utilizing abundant near-IR photons (maximum at ca 880 nm) with greater than eight-fold higher energy conversion efficiency than white light. These studies represent a powerful demonstration of the photoexcitation properties of a biological system in a closed solid-state device and its successful implementation in a functioning solar cell.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2012.01190.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2012.01190.x
M3 - Article
VL - 88
SP - 1467
EP - 1472
JO - Photochemistry and Photobiology
JF - Photochemistry and Photobiology
SN - 0031-8655
IS - 6
ER -