Solar hydrogen via metallo-macrocycle-protein photocatalysts

化学催化项目支持华盛顿大学的Thomas Spiro、David Baker、Daniel R. Gamelin和Christine K. Luscombe教授，他们正在寻求支持，研究创造金属大环蛋白结构，作为水制氢的新型光催化剂。该项目的中心思想是将光子捕获和氢气生产结合到一个单一的化学组件中。该提案汇集了生产有效的h2进化太阳能光电阴极所需的关键设计元素。朝着高效氢气光制目标的进展将提供对光电化学和催化的更深入的理解。这两个主题都是当前的热门话题，但通常是分开研究的。如果项目成功，它将带来科学和实践的双重红利。水的分解是未来科学研究的主要焦点，这些结果将引起广泛的兴趣。在化学催化项目的支持下，华盛顿大学（UW）的Thomas Spiro、David Baker、Daniel R. Gamelin和Christine K. Luscombe教授将对一个项目进行研究，该项目可能为高效廉价的光催化剂指明道路，这将在太阳能氢经济的发展中发挥重要作用。这项工作的动机是开发新能源和清洁能源的紧迫性。阳光的捕获和转化可以满足未来人类能源需求的很大一部分；然而，能源储存和转化为运输燃料构成了重大挑战。更广泛的影响包括通过参与华盛顿大学的清洁能源倡议与公众沟通，该倡议维护一个网站，并为能源利益相关者举办会议和研讨会。pi还将参加西雅图太平洋科学中心的外展活动。此外，将招募普通公众通过大众的方式为项目的蛋白质设计方面做出贡献。它（http://fold.it）是由贝克团队和合作者开发的在线电脑游戏。他们还将参加一个成功的高中推广项目，该项目由美国国家科学基金会（NSF）通过催化实现新技术中心（Center for Enabling New Technologies through Catalysis）运营，该中心位于华盛顿大学，也为我们招募少数族裔本科生到他们的实验室提供了一种机制。

The Chemical Catalysis Program supports Professors Thomas Spiro, David Baker, Daniel R. Gamelin, and Christine K. Luscombe, all of the University of Washington, who seek support for research on the creation of metallo-macrocycle-protein constructs as novel photocatalysts for H2 production from water. The central idea of this project is to combine photon capture and H2 production into a single chemical assembly. This proposal brings together the key design elements needed to produce an effective H2-evolving solar photocathode. Progress toward the goal of efficient H2 photoproduction will provide more in-depth understanding of photoelectrochemistry and catalysis. Both topics are of intense current interest, but are generally studied separately. Should the project succeed, it will bring both scientific and practical dividends. Water splitting is a major scientific focus for the future, and these results will garner wide interest.With the support of the Chemical Catalysis Program, Professors Thomas Spiro, David Baker, Daniel R. Gamelin, and Christine K. Luscombe, all of the University of Washington (UW), will perform research on a project that may point the way toward efficient and inexpensive photocatalysts, which could play a significant role in the development of a solar-hydrogen economy. This work is motivated by the urgency of developing new and clean sources of energy. The capture and conversion of sunlight can meet a major fraction of future human energy needs; however, energy storage and conversion to transportation fuels pose major challenges. Broader impacts include communicating with the public through participation in the University of Washington's CLEAN ENERGY initiative, which maintains a website and runs conferences and workshops for energy stakeholders. The PIs will also participate in Seattle's Pacific Science Center outreach activities. In addition, the general public will be recruited to contribute to the protein design aspects of the project through the popular fold.it (http://fold.it) on-line computer game developed by the Baker group and collaborators. They will also participate in the successful high-school outreach program run by the NSF Center for Enabling New Technologies through Catalysis, housed at UW, which also provides us a mechanism for recruiting minority undergraduates to their laboratories.