A biohybrid solar cell is a

solar cell A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic cell (PV cell), is an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by means of the photovoltaic effect.

made using a combination of organic matter (

photosystem I Photosystem I (PSI, or plastocyanin–ferredoxin oxidoreductase) is one of two photosystems in the Light-dependent reactions, photosynthetic light reactions of algae, plants, and cyanobacteria. Photosystem I is an integral membrane ...

) and inorganic matter. Biohybrid solar cells have been made by a team of researchers at

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

. The team used the photosystem I (a photoactive protein complex located in the

thylakoid membrane Thylakoids are membrane-bound compartments inside chloroplasts and cyanobacteria. They are the site of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Thylakoids consist of a thylakoid membrane surrounding a thylakoid lumen. Chloroplast thyl ...

) to recreate the natural process of

photosynthesis Photosynthesis ( ) is a system of biological processes by which photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical energy necessary to fuel their metabo ...

to obtain a greater efficiency in solar energy conversion. These biohybrid solar cells are a new type of

renewable energy Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...

Description

Multiple layers of photosystem I gather photonic energy, convert it into chemical energy and create a current that goes through the cell. The cell itself consists of many of the same non-organic materials that are found in other solar cells with the exception of the injected photosystem I complexes which are introduced and gathered for several days in the gold layer. After days the photosystem I are made visible and appear as a thin green film. It is this thin film that helps and improves the energy conversion. The biohybrid cell however, is still in the research phase.

Research

The team from Vanderbilt University began conducting research on the photosynthesis when they began to see and focus on the photosystem I protein. After seeing how widely available and efficient the protein was at solar conversion they began to look to incorporate and improve different technologies. The team used spinach as their source for the photosystem I. Thylakoid membranes were isolated and then went into a purification process to separate the photosystem I from the thylakoid membrane. Their research resulted in a greatly improved electric current (1000 times greater) compared to those previous made by other solar cells. The team has been gathering a group of undergraduate engineers to help build the first prototype of the biohybrid solar cell. The team has also come up with a second design of the protein complex the photosystem II.

Photovoltaic vs biohybrid

Comparing traditional photovoltaic cells and biohybrid solar cells is difficult. Both systems perform the same task converting into electricity the energy captured from the sun's rays. However, the method whereby each is done is completely different. The end result is also different: photovoltaic cells produce electric current whereas biomass or chemical fuels are produced in biohybrid cells because photosynthesis is involved in the process.

Disadvantages

While the efficiency of the biohybrid cells are much greater they also have many disadvantages. In many cases some solar cells have some advantages over a biohybrid solar cell. For one, traditional solar cells produce more power than those currently being achieved by biohybrid cells. The lifespan of biohybrid solar cells is also really short, lasting from a few weeks to nine months. The durability of the cells prove to be an issue, compared to current solar cells can work for many years. biohybrid solar cell reference 2
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References

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