Photoelectrochemical complexes for solar energy conversion that chemically and autonomously regenerate.
Naturally occurring photosynthetic systems use elaborate pathways of self-repair to limit the impact of photo-damage. Here, we demonstrate a complex consisting of two recombinant proteins, phospholipids and a carbon nanotube that mimics this process. The components self-assemble into a configuration in which an array of lipid bilayers aggregate on the surface of the carbon nanotube, creating a platform for the attachment of light-converting proteins. The system can disassemble upon the addition of a surfactant and reassemble upon its removal over an indefinite number of cycles. The assembly is thermodynamically metastable and can only transition reversibly if the rate of surfactant removal exceeds a threshold value. Only in the assembled state do the complexes exhibit photoelectrochemical activity. We demonstrate a regeneration cycle that uses surfactant to switch between assembled and disassembled states, resulting in an increased photoconversion efficiency of more than 300% over 168 hours and an indefinite extension of the system lifetime.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Moon-Ho
MH
Ham
School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Bindley Bioscience Center, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
Jong Hyun
JH
Choi
Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Ardemis A
AA
Boghossian
Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Esther S
ES
Jeng
Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Rachel A
RA
Graff
Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Daniel A
DA
Heller
Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Alice C
AC
Chang
Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Aidas
A
Mattis
Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Timothy H
TH
Bayburt
Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Yelena V
YV
Grinkova
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Adam S
AS
Zeiger
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Krystyn J
KJ
Van Vliet
Polymers Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA.
Erik K
EK
Hobbie
Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Stephen G
SG
Sligar
Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Colin A
CA
Wraight
Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Michael S
MS
Strano
D004563:Electrochemistry; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry; D010777:Photochemistry; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D012993:Solar Energy
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010743:Phospholipids; D011994:Recombinant Proteins