scholarly journals Polychromatic solar energy conversion in pigment-protein chimeras that unite the two kingdoms of (bacterio)chlorophyll-based photosynthesis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juntai Liu ◽  
Vincent M. Friebe ◽  
Raoul N. Frese ◽  
Michael R. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Photosynthetic Bacterium ◽  
Reaction Centre ◽  
Light Harvesting Complexes ◽  
Anoxygenic Phototrophs ◽  
Wide Range

Natural photosynthesis can be divided between the chlorophyll-containing plants, algae and cyanobacteria that make up the oxygenic phototrophs and a diversity of bacteriochlorophyll-containing bacteria that make up the anoxygenic phototrophs. Photosynthetic light harvesting and reaction centre proteins from both groups of organisms have been exploited in a wide range of biohybrid devices for solar energy conversion, solar fuel synthesis and a variety of sensing technologies, but the energy harvesting abilities of these devices are limited by each protein’s individual palette of (bacterio)chlorophyll, carotenoid and bilin pigments. In this work we demonstrate a range of genetically-encoded, self-assembling photosystems in which recombinant plant light harvesting complexes are covalently locked with reaction centres from a purple photosynthetic bacterium, producing macromolecular chimeras that display mechanisms of polychromatic solar energy harvesting and conversion not present in natural systems. Our findings illustrate the power of a synthetic biology approach in which bottom-up construction of a novel photosystem using naturally disparate but mechanistically complementary components is achieved in a predictable fashion through the genetic encoding of adaptable, plug-and-play covalent interfaces.ToC image

Theoretical perspective of energy harvesting properties of atomically thin BiI3

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (48) ◽  
pp. 19086-19094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Bing Zhang ◽  
Long-Jun Xiang ◽  
Hai-Bin Li
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Promising Candidate ◽  
Low Dimensional

Single-layer BiI3is predicted as a promising candidate for future low-dimensional solar energy conversion applications.

Energy from the biological conversion of solar energy

1980 ◽  
Vol 295 (1414) ◽  
pp. 477-489 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Fuel Production ◽  
Recent Estimate ◽  
Wide Range

Trees and other forms of vegetation are well designed for the collection and storage of solar energy. Moreover, photosynthetic organisms show enormous diversity and are well adapted for a wide range of environments. Biomass is convertible to liquid and gaseous fuels by a number of established processes, and this paper examines the possible contribution of biomass to world energy demands. The maximum efficiency of solar energy conversion in plant production is 5-6 %, but plants grown under usual field conditions do not achieve this degree of conversion. The highest yielding crops convert solar energy into plant material with an efficiency of 1-2%, but the average yields of the major crops and forests indicate considerably lower efficiencies. The average efficiency of solar energy conversion on a global scale is estimated as about 0.15 %. The energy content of the annual biomass residues in Australia and U.S.A. is equal to about one-quarter of the primary energy use in those countries, but only about one-third of the residues are considered to be readily recoverable. A number of high yielding crops are examined as potential fuel crops. Energy inputs for growing non-irrigated crops in Australia are estimated to amount to 7-17 % of the solar energy stored in the total crop biomass. Irrigation adds considerably to the energy cost of producing crops. The overall energy efficiency of fuel production from biomass varies from 20 to 58%, depending on the nature of the biomass and the process used to produce liquid or gaseous fuel. A recent estimate by an Australian committee of the potential contribution of biomass to liquid fuel production in Australia is presented. It is concluded that biomass will not be able to provide a substantial fraction of the world’s energy demand, although it can make a useful contribution.

Novel porphyrin-preparation, characterization, and applications in solar energy conversion

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 6885-6892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianfeng Lu ◽  
Hao Li ◽  
Shuangshuang Liu ◽  
Yu-Cheng Chang ◽  
Hui-Ping Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Charge Transfer ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion

Accelerated inner charge transfer in porphyrins promotes a broad light-harvesting ability up to 840 nm and a conversion efficiency of 9.2%.

Solar energy conversion, oxygen evolution and carbon assimilation in cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae

2021 ◽  
pp. 17-50
Author(s):  
Gaozhong Shen ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Transport ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Oxygen Evolution ◽  
Co2 Fixation ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Carbon Assimilation ◽  
Reducing Power ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion

This chapter focuses on the solar energy conversion in light harvesting and light-driven electron transport for production of reducing power for CO2 fixation in prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae.

scholarly journals Photonic–Plasmonic Nanostructures for Solar Energy Utilization and Emerging Biosensors

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2248
Author(s):  
Van Tan Tran ◽  
Huu-Quang Nguyen ◽  
Young-Mi Kim ◽  
Gyeongsik Ok ◽  
Jaebeom Lee
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Plasmonic Nanostructures ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Energy And Environment ◽  
Wide Range

Issues related to global energy and environment as well as health crisis are currently some of the greatest challenges faced by humanity, which compel us to develop new pollution-free and sustainable energy sources, as well as next-generation biodiagnostic solutions. Optical functional nanostructures that manipulate and confine light on a nanometer scale have recently emerged as leading candidates for a wide range of applications in solar energy conversion and biosensing. In this review, recent research progress in the development of photonic and plasmonic nanostructures for various applications in solar energy conversion, such as photovoltaics, photothermal conversion, and photocatalysis, is highlighted. Furthermore, the combination of photonic and plasmonic nanostructures for developing high-efficiency solar energy conversion systems is explored and discussed. We also discuss recent applications of photonic–plasmonic-based biosensors in the rapid management of infectious diseases at point-of-care as well as terahertz biosensing and imaging for improving global health. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future prospects associated with the existing solar energy conversion and biosensing systems.

Recent advances in conjugated microporous polymers for photocatalysis: designs, applications, and prospects

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (14) ◽  
pp. 6434-6470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Songhao Luo ◽  
Zhuotong Zeng ◽  
Guangming Zeng ◽  
Zhifeng Liu ◽  
Rong Xiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy Conversion ◽  
Microporous Polymers ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Harvesting Systems ◽  
Conjugated Microporous Polymers

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) provide a platform to construct light harvesting systems and catalytic centers to realize solar energy conversion.

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