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Title: (Bio)Chemical Tailoring of Biogenic 3-D Nanopatterned Templates with Energy-Relevant Functionalities

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:1154678

The overall aim of this research has been to obtain fundamental understanding of (bio)chemical methodologies that will enable utilization of the unique 3-D nanopatterned architectures naturally produced by diatoms for the syntheses of advanced functional materials attractive for applications in energy harvesting/conversion and storage. This research has been conducted in three thrusts: Thrust 1 (In vivo immobilization of proteins in diatom biosilica) is directed towards elucidating the fundamental mechanism(s) underlying the cellular processes of in vivo immobilization of proteins in diatom silica. Thrust 2 (Shape-preserving reactive conversion of diatom biosilica into porous, high-surface area inorganic replicas) is aimed at understanding the fundamental mechanisms of shape preservation and nanostructural evolution associated with the reactive conversion and/or coating-based conversion of diatom biosilica templates into porous inorganic replicas. Thrust 3 (Immobilization of energy-relevant enzymes in diatom biosilica and onto diatom biosilica-derived inorganic replicas) involves use of the results from both Thrust 1 and 2 to develop strategies for in vivo and in vitro immobilization of enzymes in/on diatom biosilica and diatom biosilica-derived inorganic replicas, respectively. This Final Report describes progress achieved in all 3 of these thrusts.

Research Organization:
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Contributing Organization:
Georgia Institute of Technology
DOE Contract Number:
SC0002245
OSTI ID:
1154678
Report Number(s):
DOE-GTRC-0002245
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English