Publications

Mimicking photosynthesis to make functional nanostructures and nanodevices

Shelnutt, John A.; Wang, Z.; Song, Y.; Medforth, Craig J.; Pereira, E.

The processes and functional constituents of biological photosynthetic systems can be mimicked to produce a variety of functional nanostructures and nanodevices. The photosynthetic nanostructures produced are analogs of the naturally occurring photosynthetic systems and are composed of biomimetic compounds (e.g., porphyrins). For example, photocatalytic nanotubes can be made by ionic self-assembly of two oppositely charged porphyrins tectons [1]. These nanotubes mimic the light-harvesting and photosynthetic functions of biological systems like the chlorosomal rods and reaction centers of green sulfur bacteria. In addition, metal-composite nanodevices can be made by using the photocatalytic activity of the nanotubes to reduce aqueous metal salts to metal atoms, which are subsequently deposited onto tube surfaces [2]. In another approach, spatial localization of photocatalytic porphyrins within templating surfactant assemblies leads to controlled growth of novel dendritic metal nanostructures [3].