Photosynthetic electrochemical cells

Abstract

The present disclosure provides photosynthetic electrochemical cells including photosynthetic compounds and methods of generating an electrical current using the photosynthetic electrochemical cells.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A photosynthetic electrochemical cell comprising:
 an anode composite comprising an anode, a photosynthetic reaction center (PSRC) including at least one photosynthetic compound, and a nanostructured material in electrochemical communication with the PSRC, wherein the PSRC is capable of oxidizing water molecules and generating electrons using a light induced photo-electrochemical reaction and wherein at least a portion of electrons generated by the PSRC are transferred to the anode via direct electron transfer; and   a cathode composite comprising a cathode and at least one enzyme or metallic catalyst capable of reducing a reductant.   
     
     
         2 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the PSRC includes at lest one photosynthetic protein selected from the group consisting of: PSII, PSI, cytochrome b 6 f (Cyt-b 6 f), plastocyanin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the PSRC comprises PSII and further comprises at least one photosynthetic compound selected from the group consisting of: PSI, plastoquinone, cyt b 6 f, plastocyanin, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin, a carotenoid compound, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the PSRC comprises at least two photosynthetic compounds selected from the group consisting of: PSII, PSI, plastoquinone, cyt b 6 f, plastocyanin, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin, a carotenoid compound, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured material comprises matrix of nanostructured material and wherein the matrix of nanostructure material couples the PSRC to the anode. 
     
     
         6 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 5 , wherein the matrix of nanostructured materials is selected from the group of nanostructured materials consisting of: carbon nanostructured materials, metallic nanoparticles, semiconductor nanoparticles, quantum dots and combinations of these materials. 
     
     
         7 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 6 , wherein the carbon nanostructured materials are selected from the group of carbon nanostructures consisting of: carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, carbon nanoparticles, graphenes, two-dimensional carbon nanosheets, graphite platelets, and combinations of these materials. 
     
     
         8 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 5 , wherein the matrix of nanostructured material comprises multi-walled carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         9 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the reductant is O 2  and the at least one enzyme capable of reducing O 2  is selected from the group consisting of: laccase, bilirubin oxidase, ascorbate oxidase, tyrosinase, catechol oxidase, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , further comprising a redox mediator. 
     
     
         11 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 9 , wherein the mediator is selected from the group of redox mediators consisting of: ferricyanide, a quinone-based compound, an osmium complex based compound, a redox chemical compound, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode and cathode comprise conducting materials. 
     
     
         13 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the anode and cathode conducting materials are selected from the group of materials consisting of: carbon, metal, semiconductor, and combinations thereof, wherein the conducting materials are in bulk form nanostructure form, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode composite further comprises a matrix of nanostructured material coupling the at least one enzyme or metallic catalyst capable of reducing the reductant to the cathode. 
     
     
         15 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the PSRC is coupled to the nanostructured material by a linking agent. 
     
     
         16 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 1 , wherein the linking agent is selected from the group of linking agents consisting of: 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succinimidyl ester (PBSE), a protein homo-bifunctional cross-linking agent, a hetero-bifunctional cross-linking agent, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A photosynthetic electrochemical cell comprising:
 an anode composite comprising an anode in electrochemical communication with a thylakoid membrane, wherein the thylakoid membrane is capable of oxidizing water molecules and generating electrons using light induced photo-electrochemical reactions, wherein the anode composite is configured such that electrons generated by the thylakoid membrane are conducted to the anode via direct electron transfer; and   a cathode composite comprising a cathode and at least one enzyme or metallic catalyst capable of reducing O 2 .   
     
     
         18 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the thylakoid membrane is coupled to the anode by a matrix of nanostructured material. 
     
     
         19 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , wherein the matrix of nanostructured materials is selected from the group of nanostructured materials consisting of: carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, carbon nanoparticles, graphenes, two-dimensional carbon nanosheets, graphite platelets, other carbon nanostructured materials, metallic nanoparticles, semiconductor nanoparticles, quantum dots, and combinations of these materials. 
     
     
         20 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the thylakoid membrane is part of an intact thylakoid organelle. 
     
     
         21 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the thylakoid membrane is coupled to the matrix of nanostructured material by a linking agent. 
     
     
         22 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 21 , wherein the linking agent is selected from the group of linking agents consisting of: 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succinimidyl ester (PBSE), a protein homo-bifunctional cross-linking agent, a hetero-bifunctional cross-linking agent, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein they thylakoid membrane includes at least two of the following photosynthetic compounds: PSII, plastoquinone, cyt b 6 f, plastocyanin, and PSI. 
     
     
         24 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one enzyme capable of reducing O 2  is selected from the group consisting of: laccase, bilirubin oxidase, ascorbate oxidase, tyrosinase, catechol oxidase, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , wherein the cathode composite further comprises a matrix of nanostructured material coupling the at least one enzyme or metallic catalyst capable of reducing O 2  to the cathode. 
     
     
         26 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 17 , further comprising a redox mediator. 
     
     
         27 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 26 , wherein the mediator is selected from the group consisting of: ferricyanide, a quinone based compound, an osmium complex based compound, a redox chemical compound, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . A photosynthetic electrochemical cell comprising:
 an anode composite comprising an anode in electrochemical communication with a photosynthetic organism or a part of a photosynthetic organism, wherein the photosynthetic organism or part thereof is capable of oxidizing water molecules and generating electrons using light induced photo-electrochemical reactions and wherein the anode composite is configured such that at least some electrons generated by the photosynthetic organism or part thereof are conducted to the anode via direct electron transfer; and   a cathode composite comprising a cathode and at least one enzyme or metallic catalyst capable of reducing O 2 .   
     
     
         29 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 28 , wherein the photosynthetic organism comprises one or more photosynthetic organisms selected from the group of photosynthetic organisms consisting of: cyanobacteria, green sulfur bacteria, algae,  spirulina, chlorella , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 28 , wherein the photosynthetic organism is selected from the group consisting of:  Nostoc  sp.,  Anabaena variabilis, Synechococcus  sp.,  Spirulina  sp.,  Rhobacter  sp.,  Rhodobium  sp.,  Chlorobium  sp., and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 28 , wherein the photosynthetic organism or part thereof is coupled to the anode by a matrix of nanostructured material. 
     
     
         32 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 31 , wherein the matrix of nanostructured materials is selected from the group of nanostructured materials consisting of: carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, carbon nanoparticles, graphenes, two-dimensional carbon nanosheets, graphite platelets, other carbon nanostructured materials, metallic nanoparticles, semiconductor nanoparticles, quantum dots, and combinations of these materials. 
     
     
         33 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 23 , wherein the photosynthetic organism or part thereof includes at least two the following photosynthetic compounds: PSII, plastoquinone, cyt b 6 f, plastocyanin, and PSI. 
     
     
         34 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 28 , wherein the photosynthetic organism or part thereof further includes one or more of the following photosynthetic compounds: phycocyanin, phycoerythrin, and a carotenoid compound. 
     
     
         35 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 28 , wherein the photosynthetic organism or part thereof is coupled to the matrix of nanostructured material by a linking agent selected from the group consisting of: 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succinimidyl ester (PBSE), a protein homo-bifunctional cross-linking agent, a hetero-bifunctional cross-linking agents, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one enzyme capable of reducing O 2  is selected from the group consisting of: laccase, bilirubin oxidase, ascorbate oxidase, tyrosinase, catechol oxidase, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 28 , further comprising a redox mediator. 
     
     
         38 . The photosynthetic electrochemical cell of  claim 37 , wherein the mediator is selected from the group consisting of: ferricyanide, a quinone based compound, an osmium complex based compound, a redox chemical compound, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         39 . A method of generating an electrical current comprising:
 providing an electrochemical cell comprising:
 an anode composite having photosynthetic reaction centers (PSRC), wherein the PSRCs include at least one photosynthetic compound and the PSRCs are in electrical communication with an anode via a nanostructured material, and 
 a cathode composite capable of reducing O 2 ; and 
   exposing the electrochemical cell to light in the presence of water, wherein the PSRC uses light energy to oxidize a water molecule and generate electrons, which are transferred to the anode via the nanostructured material, and wherein electrons generated at the anode reduce O 2  at a cathode, thereby inducing a potential difference between the anode and the cathode and generating an electrical current.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the photosynthetic reaction centers comprise at least one photosynthetic protein selected from the group consisting of: PSII, PSI, cytochrome b 6 f (Cytb 6 f), plastocyanin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the photosynthetic PSRC comprises PSII and at least one photosynthetic compound selected from the group consisting of: PSI, plastoquinone, cyt b 6 f, plastocyanin, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin, a carotenoid compound, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the nanostructured material comprises a matrix of nanostructured material and wherein the matrix of nanostructure material couples the PSRC to the anode. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the matrix of nanostructured materials is selected from the group of nanostructured materials consisting of: carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, carbon nanoparticles, graphenes, two-dimensional carbon nanosheets, graphite platelets, other carbon nanostructured materials, metallic nanoparticles, semiconductor nanoparticles, quantum dots, and combinations of these materials. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the cathode composite comprises at least one enzyme capable of reducing O 2 , wherein such enzyme is selected from the group consisting of: laccase, bilirubin oxidase, ascorbate oxidase, tyrosinase, catechol oxidase, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the electrochemical cell further comprises a redox mediator. 
     
     
         46 . A method of generating an electrical current comprising converting light energy to electrical energy using a photosynthetic electrochemical cell comprising:
 an anode composite comprising an anode, at least one photosynthetic reaction center (PSRC) including at least one photosynthetic compound, and a nanostructured material in electrochemical communication with the at least one PSRC, wherein the PSRC is capable of oxidizing water molecules and generating electrons using a light induced photo-electrochemical reaction and wherein electrons generated by the PSRC are transferred to the anode via direct electron transfer; and   a cathode composite comprising a cathode and at least one enzyme or metallic catalyst capable of reducing O 2 .