Near-IR absorbing solar cell sensitized with bacterial photosynthetic membranes.
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. Acta 1798, 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 I(sc) (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.
Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Kamil
K
Woronowicz
Saquib
S
Ahmed
Archana A
AA
Biradar
Ankush V
AV
Biradar
Dunbar P
DP
Birnie
Tewodros
T
Asefa
Robert A
RA
Niederman
D020130:Bacterial Chromatophores / Q000737:chemistry*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002462:Cell Membrane; D008027:Light; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D012247:Rhodospirillum rubrum / Q000166:cytology*; D012993:Solar Energy; D014025:Titanium
C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium