화학공학소재연구정보센터
Solar Energy, Vol.212, 326-331, 2020
A novel approach for the development of bio-sensitized solar cell using cell lysate of a haloarchaeon Halostagnicola larsenii RG2.14 (MCC 2809) containing bacteriorhodopsin
Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) present in the cell membrane of haloarchaea and capable of converting light energy into electrical energy is being explored as biosensitizer in bio-sensitized solar cells (BSSC). The haloarchaeon, Halostagnicola larsenii RG2.14 (MCC 2809) containing bacteriorhodopsin (BR), was used to prepare BSSC. The cell lysate of the culture containing BR was immobilized on TiO2 nanocrystalline films. The BSSC was characterized for photoelectric performance, UV-visible spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, and chronopotentiometry-chronoamperometry. Studies on the parameters like the use of ethanol for the cell lysate preparation resulted in the maximum open-circuit voltage of 0.52 V, short circuit photocurrent density of 120 mu A/cm(2) fill factor of 0.54 and overall efficiency of 0.11%. The present investigation indicates that the BR containing haloarchaeal culture cell lysate could be used in the preparation of BSSC.