Vectorial photocurrents and photoconductivity in metalized chloroplasts

Journal Article · Thu Aug 09 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Journal of Physical Chemistry; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/j100379a003· OSTI ID:6348099

Greenbaum, E ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN (USA)

A novel photobiophysical phenomenon was observed in isolated spinach chloroplasts that were metalized by precipitating colloidal platinum onto the surface of the thylakoid membranes. A two-point irradiation and detection system was constructed in which a continuous-beam helium-neon laser ({lambda} = 632.8 nm) was used to irradiate the platinized chloroplasts at varying perpendicular distances (Figure 1) from a single linear platinum electrode in pressure contact with the platinized chloroplasts. No external voltage bias was applied to the system. The key objective of the experiments reported in this report was to measure the relative photoconductivity of the chloroplast-metal composite matrix. Unlike conventional photosynthetic electrochemical cells, in which irradiated chloroplasts are in close proximity to an electrode or linked to the electrode by an electrode-active mediator, the flow of photocurrent was through the biocomposite material. A sustained steady-state vectorial flow of current in the plane of the entrapped composite from the point of laser irradiation to the wire electrode was measured.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6348099
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry; (USA), Vol. 94:16; ISSN 0022-3654
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
CHLOROPLASTS
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHOTOCURRENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HELIUM-NEON LASERS
MEASURING METHODS
PLATINUM
SPINACH
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CURRENTS
DATA
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
FOOD
GAS LASERS
INFORMATION
LASERS
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANTS
PLATINUM METALS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VEGETABLES
140505* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion- (1980-)