A nanoscale bio-inspired light-harvesting system developed from self-assembled alkyl-functionalized metallochlorin nano-aggregates

作者:Ocakoglu Kasim*; Joya Khurram S; Harputlu Ersan; Tarnowska Anna; Gryko Daniel T
来源:Nanoscale, 2014, 6(16): 9625-9631.
DOI:10.1039/c4nr01661k

摘要

Self-assembled supramolecular organization of nano-structured biomimetic light-harvesting modules inside solid-state nano-templates can be exploited to develop excellent light-harvesting materials for artificial photosynthetic devices. We present here a hybrid light-harvesting system mimicking the chlorosomal structures of the natural photosynthetic system using synthetic Zinc chlorin units (ZnChl-C-6, ZnChl-C-12 and ZnChl-C-18) that are self-aggregated inside the anodic aluminum oxide (MO) nano-channel membranes. MO nano-templates were modified with a TiO2 matrix and functionalized with long hydrophobic chains to facilitate the formation of supramolecular Zn-chlorin aggregates. The transparent Zn-chlorin nano-aggregates inside the alkyl-TiO2 modified AAO nano-channels have a diameter of similar to 120 nm in a 60 mu m length channel. UV-Vis studies and fluorescence emission spectra further confirm the formation of the supramolecular ZnChl aggregates from monomer molecules inside the alkyl-functionalized nano-channels. Our results prove that the novel and unique method can be used to produce efficient and stable light-harvesting assemblies for effective solar energy capture through transparent and stable nano-channel ceramic materials modified with bio-mimetic molecular self-assembled nano-aggregates.

  • 出版日期2014-8-21