| dc.description.abstract | Biohybrid solar cells utilizing the plant protein complex Photosystem I (PSI) as the key photoactive ingredient are studied for their ability to reduce the cost and environmental impacts of solar energy harvesting technologies. To continue toward these goals, this research focuses on carbon materials for their potential use as electrodes in PSI biohybrid solar cells. Carbon materials can simultaneously boost the performance of PSI-based devices while also decreasing the economic and environmental barriers faced when scaling PSI technologies. This work will cover the synthesis, characterization, and implementation of carbon dots, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and commercially available carbon paper as low-cost materials to enhance the performance of PSI-based biohybrid devices. First, nitrogen-doped carbon dots were synthesized and the impact of dopant concentration on optical and electrochemical properties was studied. Next, MWCNTs were used both as an electrode modification material for surface area enhancement strategies as well as free-standing, flexible substrates. The free-standing, metal-free carbon nanotube composites, or buckypaper, was also characterized beyond its implementation in PSI-biohybrid devices with respect to the impact of supporting electrolyte concentration on electrode performance. Finally, commercially available carbon paper was readily substituted in place of traditional inorganic electrodes and used to demonstrate the scalability and accessibility of PSI photoelectrodes. Ultimately, shifting to carbon electrodes in biohybrid devices will facilitate their upscaling beyond the benchtop scale while keeping the overall cost and environmental impact low, making them promising technologies in fields such as chemical sensing or energy production. | |
