Organic photovoltaic cells based on photoactive bacteriorhodopsin proteins

Khaled M. Al-Aribe; George K. Knopf; Amarjeet S. Bassi

doi:10.1117/12.2004018

9 March 2013 Organic photovoltaic cells based on photoactive bacteriorhodopsin proteins

Khaled M. Al-Aribe, George K. Knopf, Amarjeet S. Bassi

Proceedings Volume 8615, Microfluidics, BioMEMS, and Medical Microsystems XI; 86150Q (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2004018
Event: SPIE MOEMS-MEMS, 2013, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Recent advances in materials engineering have enabled photovoltaic (PV) cells to be fabricated from solid state semiconductors, photosensitive organic dyes, and photoactive proteins. One type of organic PV cell is based on the natural light-harvesting protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR) found in the plasma membrane of a salt marsh archaebacteria. When exposed to sunlight, each bR molecule acts as a simple proton pump which transports hydrogen ions from the cytoplasmic to the extracellular side through a transmembrane ion channel. Two types of bR-PV cells comprised of photosensitive dry and aqueous (wet) bR thin films are described in this paper. The self-assembled monolayer of oriented purple membrane (PM) patches from the bR protein is created on a bio-functionalized gold (Au) surface using a biotin molecular recognition technique. The dry bR monolayer is covered with an optically transparent Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) electrode to complete the dry bR-PV device. In contrast, the aqueous bR-PV cell is created by immobilizing the bR monolayer on an Au-coated porous substrate and then inserting the assembly between two micro-reservoirs filled with KCl solutions. Platinum wire probes are then inserted in the opposing liquid reserviors near the porous bR monolayer. The dry bR-PV cell generated a photo-electric response of 9.73 mV/cm², while the aqueous bR-PV produced 41.7 mV/cm² and 33.3 μA/cm². Although the generated voltages appear small, it may be sufficient to power various microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfluidic devices.

Citation Download Citation

Khaled M. Al-Aribe, George K. Knopf, and Amarjeet S. Bassi "Organic photovoltaic cells based on photoactive bacteriorhodopsin proteins", Proc. SPIE 8615, Microfluidics, BioMEMS, and Medical Microsystems XI, 86150Q (9 March 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2004018

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available