Harvesting energy from light using bio-inspired artificial cells

Date posted
Funding Agency
(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy)

Scientists at the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory, a Department of Energy Office of Science user facility, have designed and connected two different artificial cells to each other to produce molecules called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the fundamental unit that all living things use to carry and provide energy to run processes in cells. This artificial cell design uses nanorods made of silver and gold to create a biological cell wall similar to cell walls found in nature. The synthetic protocell model offers opportunities for developing alternative solar-to-chemical energy conversion systems.