title: A nanoscale bio-inspired light-harvesting system developed from self-assembled alkyl-functionalized metallochlorin nano-aggregates.
abstract: Self-assembled supramolecular organization of nano-structured biomimetic light-harvesting modules inside solid-state nano-templates can be exploited to develop excellent light-harvesting materials for artificial photosynthetic devices. We present here a hybrid light-harvesting system mimicking the chlorosomal structures of the natural photosynthetic system using synthetic zinc chlorin units (ZnChl-C6, ZnChl-C12 and ZnChl-C18) that are self-aggregated inside the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nano-channel membranes. AAO nano-templates were modified with a TiO2 matrix and functionalized with long hydrophobic chains to facilitate the formation of supramolecular Zn-chlorin aggregates. The transparent Zn-chlorin nano-aggregates inside the alkyl-TiO2 modified AAO nano-channels have a diameter of ∼120 nm in a 60 μm length channel. UV-Vis studies and fluorescence emission spectra further confirm the formation of the supramolecular ZnChl aggregates from monomer molecules inside the alkyl-functionalized nano-channels. Our results prove that the novel and unique method can be used to produce efficient and stable light-harvesting assemblies for effective solar energy capture through transparent and stable nano-channel ceramic materials modified with bio-mimetic molecular self-assembled nano-aggregates.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Technology Research & Application Center, Mersin University, Ciftlikkoy Campus, TR-33343 Mersin, Turkey. kasim.ocakoglu@mersin.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Kasim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ocakoglu
authors.forename: Khurram S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Joya
authors.forename: Ersan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harputlu
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarnowska
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Gryko
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D008665:Metalloporphyrins / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D008665:Metalloporphyrins; C558702:zinc chlorin; D000537:Aluminum Oxide