Functional Hybrid Biotic/Abiotic Materials

非技术：该奖项由埃默里大学材料研究部生物材料计划授予，旨在开发混合生物/非生物功能材料，以实现光驱动的多电子化学。生命系统的两个基本特征是复杂结构的自组织和相关的功能划分，使它们能够从环境中提取能量并将其储存为用于为所有生命过程提供动力的燃料。该提案试图通过开发使用生物/非生物界面的人工材料来模仿生命系统的这些基本特征，以实现光能的有效收集及其作为高能量密度化学键中的燃料的存储。拟议的工作将开发一类新的生物/非生物材料，其基础是将纳米结构的半导体材料（所谓的量子点）与酶生物催化剂相结合。量子点被设计成有效地收集光，并在此过程中产生可用于化学的电子。生物催化剂有效地从水中产生燃料氢时，提供了现成的电子供应。生物催化剂的独特性质（自组装和通过结构进化定制界面的能力）将用于将两种组分正确地连接在一起，形成稳定，坚固且有效地将光转化为氢燃料的混合材料。该项目还为高中生和本科生提供了一个独特的培训机会，因为它整合了多个学科，包括分子生物物理学，光谱学和材料科学，以解决直接实际相关的问题。技术：将光能存储在高能量密度化学键中需要新的功能材料来实现：1）高效的光捕获; 2）长寿命的电荷分离; 3）到催化剂的界面电荷转移;和4）用于多电子化学的稳健催化剂。该提案旨在开发将光捕获和电荷分离组件与高效生物催化剂相结合的混合材料。具体目标是：1）设计、合成和表征杂化氢化酶：量子点功能材料; 2）确定影响功能的界面结构和动力学;以及3）开发基于能够光驱动制氢的杂化材料的光电极。一个主要的挑战是光敏剂固有的单电子性质，这是其有效应用于光驱动氧化还原化学的主要限制。拟议的工作将测试量子限制半导体材料是否能够作为多电子光敏剂，通过产生和收获多个激子来驱动催化化学。拟议的工作将作为教学和培养学生在分子生物物理学，光谱学和材料科学高度跨学科技能的基础，通过埃默里大学化学实习生计划高中生，和埃默里大学夏季本科研究经验。

Non-Technical: This award by the Biomaterials Program in the Division of Materials Research to Emory University is to develop hybrid biotic/abiotic functional materials that will achieve light driven, multi-electron chemistry. Two essential features of living systems are self organization of complex structures and the associated compartmentalization of function, enabling them to extract energy from the environment and store it as fuel used to power all life processes. This proposal seeks to mimic these essential characteristics of living systems by developing artificial materials that use biotic/abiotic interfaces to enable efficient harvesting of light energy and its storage as fuel in high energy density chemical bonds. The proposed work will develop a new class of biotic/abiotic materials based on the integration of nano-structured semiconductor materials, so-called quantum dots, with enzyme biocatalysts. The quantum dots are designed to efficiently collect light and in the process generate electrons that can be used for doing chemistry. The biocatalyst efficiently generates the fuel hydrogen from water when given a ready supply of electrons. The unique properties of the biological catalyst (self assembly and the ability to tailor the interface by structural evolution) will be used to properly wire the two components together into a hybrid material that is stable, robust and efficient at converting light into hydrogen fuel. This project also provides a unique training opportunity for high school and undergraduate students because it integrates multiple disciplines, including molecular biophysics, spectroscopy and materials science, to solve a problem of direct practical relevance.Technical: Storing light energy in high energy density chemical bonds requires new functional materials to achieve: 1) efficient light harvesting; 2) long-lived charge separation; 3) interfacial charge transfer to a catalyst; and 4) robust catalysts for multi-electron chemistry. The proposal is to develop hybrid materials that integrate a light harvesting and charge separation component with a highly efficient biocatalyst. The specific objectives are: 1) to design, synthesize and characterize hybrid hydrogenase:quantum dot functional materials; 2) to determine the interfacial structures and dynamics that affect function; and 3) to develop photo-electrodes based on the hybrid materials that are capable of light driven hydrogen production. A major challenge is the inherent single electron nature of photosensitizers, which has been the primary limitation of their efficient application to light driven redox chemistry. The proposed work will test whether quantum confined semiconductor materials are capable of acting as multi-electron photosensitizers, by generating and harvesting multiple excitons to drive catalytic chemistry. The proposed work will serve as a foundation for teaching and training students highly interdisciplinary skills in molecular biophysics, spectroscopy and materials science, through the Emory Chemistry Intern Program for high school students, and the Emory Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.