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Title: Role of Surface-Capping Ligands in Photoexcited Electron Transfer between CdS Nanorods and [FeFe] Hydrogenase and the Subsequent H 2 Generation

Journal Article · · Journal of Physical Chemistry. C

Complexes of CdS nanorods and [FeFe] hydrogenase from Clostridium acetobutylicum have been shown to photochemically produce H2. This study examines the role of the ligands that passivate the nanocrystal surfaces in the electron transfer from photoexcited CdS to hydrogenase and the H2 generation that follows. We functionalized CdS nanorods with a series of mercaptocarboxylate surface-capping ligands of varying lengths and measured their photoexcited electron relaxation by transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy before and after hydrogenase adsorption. Rate constants for electron transfer from the nanocrystals to the enzyme, extracted by modeling of TA kinetics, decrease exponentially with ligand length, suggesting that the ligand layer acts as a barrier to charge transfer and controls the degree of electronic coupling. Relative light-driven H2 production efficiencies follow the relative quantum efficiencies of electron transfer, revealing the critical role of surface-capping ligands in determining the photochemical activity of these nanocrystal-enzyme complexes. Our results suggest that the H2 production in this system could be maximized with a choice of a surface-capping ligand that decreases the distance between the nanocrystal surface and the electron injection site of the enzyme.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1413443
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA--2700-68946
Journal Information:
Journal of Physical Chemistry. C, Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry. C Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 122; ISSN 1932-7447
Publisher:
American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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