Interaction and charge transfer between isolated thylakoids and multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Charge separation in photosynthetic light reactions has gained much interest in an attempt to fabricate biological photovoltaic devices through integration of photosynthetic material and conducting electrodes. Direct interaction between thylakoids, as representatives of photosynthetic materials, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is expected to increase charge transfer. Thylakoids are isolated from spinach leaf chloroplasts and pristine MWCNTs are dispersed in Triton X-100 (TX-100) as a surfactant to retain their electronic properties through non-covalent interactions. The Raman and UV-Vis spectra suggest close interactions between the thylakoids and the MWCNTs. Stable thylakoids including the embedded protein subunits and light harvesting antennas can be detected from the non-shifted 680 nm absorbance peak. The 50% fluorescence quenching in the MWCNTs-thylakoids preparation as compared to thylakoids alone using single wavelength excitation suggests charge transfer between the thylakoids and the MWCNTs.

Supercapacitive Biosolar Cell Driven by Direct Electron Transfer between Photosynthetic Membranes and CNT Networks with Enhanced Performance

“…Despite a relatively low output in the current density, the approach using direct electron transfer (DET)-based wiring photobioelements to the electrode could offer several advantages including simplification of the cell design, minimization of the overpotential loss, avoiding instability arising from leakage of the mediator, and a potentially high Coulombic efficiency . Immobilization of TMs to enable DET, such as direct adsorption onto a graphite surface, , immobilization in the presence of carbon quantum dots, noncovalent or covalent binding, layer-by-layer assembly, electroplating, or electrospinning methods, has been recently attempted to construct PBAs and PBCs.…”

A Plant Bioreactor for the Synthesis of Carbon Nanotube Bionic Nanocomposites

“…In particular, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one-dimensional (1-D) carbon nanoparticles having excellent electrical, thermal and mechanical proprieties. It is known that CNTs may interact with proteins and living organisms (Long et al, 2012;Calvaresi and Zerbetto, 2013;Wang et al, 2013;Dewi et al, 2015;Lukhele et al, 2015;Thakkar et al, 2016;Di Giosia et al, 2019; however, most of the work is limited to the study of their toxicity and does not explore their use as an additive to obtain new materials. The inclusion of CNM into plants, their organelles, and organelle components has the potential to enhance their functions (Faltermeier et al, 2014;Wong et al, 2016).…”

“…The inclusion of CNM into plants, their organelles, and organelle components has the potential to enhance their functions (Faltermeier et al, 2014;Wong et al, 2016). For example, CNTs incorporated into isolated thylacoid enhance their maximum electron transport rates (Dewi et al, 2015). A pioneering study by Girardo et al showed how the direct injection of functionalized CNT into A. thaliana leaves allows to prepare a bionic leaf which can be used as a NO sensor (Faltermeier et al, 2014).…”

Interfacing Photosynthetic Membrane Protein with Mesoporous WO3 Photoelectrode for Solar Water Oxidation

“…In previous studies, the majority of photoanodes hybridized with Photosystem II focused on gold electrodes or carbon nanomaterials as the substrates. Also, the redox mediators are usually involved to fulfill the cyclic electron flow to overcome the poor electron transfer.…”