Artificial vesicles with incorporated photosynthetic materials for potential solar energy conversion systems

Abstract

Currently the primary source of energy for industrial and domestic use is based on fossil fuels. The supplies of these fuels are limited and are becoming depleted. Thus there is a search for alternative and more sustainable energy sources. One such source is solar energy, which has many advantages over fossil fuels. Thus research into harvesting, transferring, and converting light energy is of great significance. The most abundant and efficient light harvesting, energy transfer and transduction systems are found in nature with the process of photosynthesis. Previous work has shown that photosynthetic light harvesting material can be incorporated into artificial vesicles called Pheroid. In this study researchers are characterising the level of organisation of the incorporated light harvesting and energy transfer systems using steady state optical techniques such as absorption spectroscopy. The incorporation ratio of photosynthetic material, Pheroid has been investigated and preliminary results indicate that the loading capacity of the Pheroid differs depending on the photosynthetic membrane fractions used.