Project Details
Projekt
Nanoengineered optobioelectronics with biomaterials and bioinspired assemblies
Applicants
Professor Dr. Noam Adir; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Lubitz
Subject Area
Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
Term
from 2014 to 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 245916028
Mother nature provides the most sophisticated process for solar light-to-energy (fuel) conversion – the photo-synthetic apparatus. The goals of the present proposal are to genetically engineer photosynthetic reaction centers, and fuel generating enzymes (e.g. hydrogenase) and integrate these biomolecules with electrodes to yield novel photo-bio-electrochemical and photo-biofuel cells. In addition, the paradigms that will be developed to use photosynthetic reaction centers for energy conversion will be adapted to assemble man-made hybrid opto-bio-electrochemical systems mimicking photosynthesis. To accomplish this goal we have assembled a team of scientific research groups from Israel and Germany that combines complementary expertise and disciplines to meet the challenges of the proposed DIP project. These include structural and molecular biology, biophysics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, electrochemistry, plant/bacterial physiology, artificial photosynthesis and photocatalysed hydrogen production. These will be combined to make this DIP ground-breaking goal feasible. With this vision in mind, the present research proposal represents a comprehensive effort of four scientific institutions (the Technion in Haifa, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Muelheim and the Ruhr-University in Bochum) that together are determined to develop “smart” bimolecular interfaces on electrode surfaces for opto-electro-chemical and photo-bio-electrochemical control of conversion of light harvested energy to electrical power or sustainable fuels. The research efforts will be directed to achieve the following three major aims: (i) The construction of solar energy conversion cells utilizing biophotosystems of improved photophysical properties and enhanced thermal stability. (ii) New methods will be developed in order to wire the obtained opto-bio-systems with synthetic redox proteins/polymers/semiconductor material(s), including „smart“ molecules such as modified DNA, to electrodes for the construction of efficient photo-bio-electrochemical solar cells. (iii) Novel and efficient cathodes will be developed for the photo-biofuel cells, including electrical- or fuel-generating systems.
DFG Programme
DIP Programme
International Connection
Israel
