Reviewed by Lexie CornerDec 3 2024
Professor Chiyoung Park of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology developed a supramolecular fluorophore nanocomposite fabrication technology using nanomaterials and built a sustainable solar organic biohydrogen production system. This research was published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
Comparison of Structural and Hydrogen Production Performance of Organic Biological Systems Using Shewanella oneidensis Bacteria and Metal-Polyphenol Hypermolecular Dyes. Image Credit: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
Professor Park, in collaboration with Professor Hyojung Cha of Kyungpook National University’s Department of Hydrogen and Renewable Energy, used the excellent nanosurface adsorption properties of tannic acid-based metal-polyphenol polymers to regulate the self-assembly and optical properties of fluorescent dyes, as well as identify the photoexcitation and electron transfer mechanisms.
Based on these observations, he developed a solar-powered biohydrogen generation system that employs bacteria-carrying hydrogenase enzymes.
Chlorophyll collects light energy and transforms it into chemical energy by transferring electrons during natural photosynthesis. Artificial photosynthesis has gained attention as a sustainable energy source because it mimics the natural process of photosynthesis and uses sunlight to create viable resources like hydrogen.
Professor Park's team modified rhodamine, an existing fluorescent dye, into an amphiphilic structure. This created a supramolecular photocatalyst that can transfer electrons in a manner similar to that of chlorophyll in nature. To increase performance and durability, the researchers used a tannic acid-based metal-polyphenol nano-coating technique.
Under the visible spectrum, they achieved a hydrogen production rate of approximately 18.4 mmol per hour per gram of catalyst. This performance is 5.6 times higher than that of previous studies using the same phosphor.
The researchers developed a bio-composite system that utilizes sunlight to convert ascorbic acid (vitamin C) into hydrogen. This was achieved by combining their newly created supramolecular dye with the electron-transferring bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The system demonstrated the ability to continuously produce hydrogen and operated steadily over an extended period.
This study marks an important achievement that reveals the specific mechanisms of organic dyes and artificial photosynthesis. In the future, I would like to conduct follow-up research on new supramolecular chemistry-based systems by combining functional microorganisms and new materials.
Chiyoung Park, Professor, Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
Basic Research Laboratory Project and the Mid-Career Researcher Support Project under the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Alchemist Project under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy supported the study.
Journal Reference:
Bu, S. H. et. al. (2024) Supramolecular Reconstruction of Self-Assembling Photosensitizers for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. doi.org/10.1002/anie.202416114