Energy Transfer from Photosystem I to Thermally Reduced Graphene Oxide

Abstract

The energy transfer from photosynthetic complex photosystem I to thermally reduced graphene oxide was studied using fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, and compared against the structure in which monolayer epitaxial graphene was used as the energy acceptor. We find that the properties of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an energy acceptor is qualitatively similar to that of epitaxial graphene. Fluorescence quenching, which in addition to shortening of fluorescence decay, is a signature of energy transfer varies across rGO substrates and correlates with the transmission pattern. We conclude that the efficiency of the energy transfer depends on the number of rGO layers in the flakes and decreases with this number. Furthermore, careful analysis of fluorescence imaging data confirms that the energy transfer efficiency dependence on the excitation wavelength, also varies with the number of rGO flakes.

Lighting up Micro-/Nanorobots with Fluorescence

“…In sensing, various bioanalyses in surrounding environments could be recognized through the “‘light-up’” response of fluorescence signals. So far, developed fluorescence-based sensing technologies are mainly based on π-electron systems, − photoinduced electron transfer, − intramolecular charge transfer, − twisted intramolecular charge transfer, − fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), ,− and excited-state intramolecular proton transfer . π-electron systems generally change the fluorescent emission wavelength and (or) the fluorescence quantum yield and even the fluorescent lifetime with varying the conjugation degree .…”

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Probes Interactions between Photoactive Protein—Silver Nanowire Conjugate and Monolayer Graphene

“…However, for photoactive proteins, where emitting molecules, like chlorophylls, are embedded in protein matrix, which protects them from direct contact with graphene [62], the impact of the energy transfer is not so dramatic. In addition, the protein shield inhibits the non-radiative energy transfer present in the MEF process [73]. Consequently, a hybrid nanostructure, where a protein is combined with a plasmonically active metallic nanoparticle and a graphene monolayer, may provide a playground for studying the interplay between these two fundamental nanoscale interactions.…”