Physical constraints on charge transport through bacterial nanowires
- Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)
- Univ. of Cyprus, Nicosia (Cyprus)
Extracellular appendages of the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 were recently shown to sustain currents of 10¹⁰ electrons per second over distances of 0.5 microns [El-Naggar et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 2010, 107, 18127]. However, the identity of the charge localizing sites and their organization along the “nanowire” remain unknown. We use theory to predict redox cofactor separation distances that would permit charge flow at rates of 10¹⁰ electrons per second over 0.5 microns for voltage biases of ≤1V, using a steady-state analysis governed by a non-adiabatic electron transport mechanism. We find the observed currents necessitate a multi-step hopping transport mechanism, with charge localizing sites separated by less than 1 nm and reorganization energies that rival the lowest known in biology.
- Research Organization:
- Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States); Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC), Center for Solar Fuels (UNC) (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0001011
- OSTI ID:
- 1065828
- Journal Information:
- Faraday Discussions, Vol. 155; Related Information: UNC partners with University of North Carolina (lead); Duke University; University of Florida; Georgia Institute of Technology; University; North Carolina Central University; Research Triangle Institute; ISSN 1359-6640
- Publisher:
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Potential of ZrO clusters as replacement Pd catalyst
Density and one-matrix functionals generated by constrained-search theory
Related Subjects
catalysis (homogeneous)
catalysis (heterogeneous)
solar (photovoltaic)
solar (fuels)
photosynthesis (natural and artificial)
hydrogen and fuel cells
electrodes - solar
charge transport
materials and chemistry by design
synthesis (novel materials)
synthesis (self-assembly)