Abstract
Photosynthesis is a sustainable process that converts light energy into chemical energy. Substantial research efforts are directed towards the application of the photosynthetic reaction centres, photosystems I and II, as active components for the light-induced generation of electrical power or fuel products. Nonetheless, no integrated photo-bioelectrochemical device that produces electrical power, upon irradiation of an aqueous solution that includes two inter-connected electrodes is known. Here we report the assembly of photobiofuel cells that generate electricity upon irradiation of biomaterial-functionalized electrodes in aqueous solutions. The cells are composed of electrically contacted photosystem II-functionalized photoanodes and an electrically wired bilirubin oxidase/carbon nanotubes-modified cathode. Illumination of the photoanodes yields the oxidation of water to O2 and the transfer of electrons through the external circuit to the cathode, where O2 is re-reduced to water.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 742 |
| Journal | Nature Communications |
| Volume | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2012 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This research is supported by the European Research Council under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013)/ERC Advanced Grant agreement number 267574, NanoSensoMach project. O.Y. acknowledges the Levi Eshkol fellowship, The Ministry of Science and Technology, Israel.