Photosynthetic Reaction Centers as Active Molecular Electronic Components. Phase1

摘要

The aim of this project is the development of reaction centers fromphotosynthetic bacteria for use in molecule-based components and devices. Reaction centers (RCs) exhibit a highly efficient, rapid, long-distance photoinduced charge separation under a wide variety of conditions. The reaction center has electronic properties which are far superior, more flexible, and much less expensive to produce than any known synthetic donor/acceptor system. During the course of this project we developed strategies for the attachment of reaction centers to electrode surfaces, and demonstrated the first steps in this process. Our approach employed molecular modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, and the attachment of dye molecules to a particular RC site. Correlated developments include refinement and simplification of the process for preparing reaction centers, studies of materials issues, studies of device concepts, and transfer-of RC preparation techniques to Biological Components Corporation. Bioelectronics, Molecular electronics, Reaction centers, Nanoelectronics.