Proefschrift

Ruthenium- and cobalt-based artificial metalloenzymes for photocatalytic water oxidation in artificial photosynthesis

Producing green energy has become the main goal in our society in the search of reducing or eliminating the carbon emission from fossil fuels.

Auteur: Polanco Rivas, E.A.
Datum: 07 juni 2023
Links: Thesis in Leiden Repository

In this project, proteins were used as a tool to develop an artificial system capable of promoting the most demanding reaction in photosynthesis, water oxidation, as a new concept of producing energy from a green source. For this purpose, a screening study of the interaction between selected proteins and a library photocatalytic ruthenium and cobalt complexes was carried out. The results from such study allowed the production of two types of artificial metalloenzymes (ArM) which were proven to be able to perform water oxidation reaction via blue light irradiation. As well, an unusual interaction between proteins which promote the photocatalytic O2 evolution from water. These findings lead to develop ruthenium and cobalt metalloenzymes as promising candidates for artificial photosynthesis in bio-inspired systems.