Photoelectric Conversion System Composed of Gene-Recombined Photosystem I and Platinum Nanoparticle Nanosheet

• Published in: Langmuir 2020-06, Vol.36 (23), p.6429-6435
• Main Authors: Zhu, Wenchao, Salles, Raphael, Miyachi, Mariko, Yamanoi, Yoshinori, Tomo, Tatsuya, Nishihara, Hiroshi Hiroshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00647

Photosynthesis is one of the most vital process in nature, which consists of two main photoreaction centers called photosystem I and II. The high quantum yield of photosystem I (PSI) makes it attractive for bioelectronic applications. However, the native PSI (N-PSI) loses its robust photochemical properties once fabricated into devices. This property degradation results from the difficulty of orientation control of PSI. With the optimal orientation of PSI, photoexcited electrons can easily reach the electrode, yielding good photoelectric conversion efficiency. We developed a novel photoelectrode by integrating a newly designed gene-recombined PSI (G-PSI) with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) on substrates using a simple stacking method, which can control the orientation of PSI on the electrode. The target orientation of the attached G-PSI toward the substrate was confirmed by absorption spectra of polarized light. An approximately two-fold increase in the internal quantum yield (IQY) was observed for the G-PSI-attached electrode under 680 nm irradiation compared with that of the N-PSI modified electrode. In addition, a four-fold enhancement of the IQY was detected for cytochrome c (Cyt c) stacking on the G-PSI owing to the electrostatic interaction, suggesting that Cyt c successfully secured the electron transfer pathway.