Smit, Jacoba EGrobler, AFSparrow, RW2012-11-192012-11-192011-04Smit, JE, Grobler, AF and Sparrow, RW. Harvesting sunlight energy: a biophysics approach. ICWIP 2011: 4th IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics, Stellenbosch, 5-8 April 2011http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6328ICWIP 2011: 4th IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics, Stellenbosch, 5-8 April 2011The most efficient light harvesting and energy transfer systems are found in nature as part of the photosynthesis process. In the photosynthetic system light energy is absorbed by antenna chlorophylls and this energy is then passed onto a reaction centre chlorophyll molecule where charge separation occurs in less than 100 ps and at about 95% efficiency. It has been shown that organised connective light harvesting complexes are required for long range energy transfer. By extracting these system fragments and maximising their organisational structure, similar artificial systems for energy sources and transfer system can potentially be developed. As a matrix to stabilize the system we are using a combination of fatty acids and nitrous oxide, rather than conventional phospholipid-based combinations, which enables the production of small, elastic artificial vesicles, called Pheroid™. Previous work has shown that photosynthetic light harvesting material can be incorporated into the Pheroid™. In this study we are characterising the level of organisation through protein aggregation on the incorporated light harvesting systems using absorption spectroscopy.enLight harvestingEnergy transferAbsorption spectroscopySunlightConference PresentationSmit, J. E., Grobler, A., & Sparrow, R. (2011). Harvesting sunlight energy: a biophysics approach. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6328Smit, Jacoba E, AF Grobler, and RW Sparrow. "Harvesting sunlight energy: a biophysics approach." (2011): http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6328Smit JE, Grobler A, Sparrow R, Harvesting sunlight energy: a biophysics approach; 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6328 .TY - Conference Presentation AU - Smit, Jacoba E AU - Grobler, AF AU - Sparrow, RW AB - The most efficient light harvesting and energy transfer systems are found in nature as part of the photosynthesis process. In the photosynthetic system light energy is absorbed by antenna chlorophylls and this energy is then passed onto a reaction centre chlorophyll molecule where charge separation occurs in less than 100 ps and at about 95% efficiency. It has been shown that organised connective light harvesting complexes are required for long range energy transfer. By extracting these system fragments and maximising their organisational structure, similar artificial systems for energy sources and transfer system can potentially be developed. As a matrix to stabilize the system we are using a combination of fatty acids and nitrous oxide, rather than conventional phospholipid-based combinations, which enables the production of small, elastic artificial vesicles, called Pheroid™. Previous work has shown that photosynthetic light harvesting material can be incorporated into the Pheroid™. In this study we are characterising the level of organisation through protein aggregation on the incorporated light harvesting systems using absorption spectroscopy. DA - 2011-04 DB - ResearchSpace DP - CSIR KW - Light harvesting KW - Energy transfer KW - Absorption spectroscopy KW - Sunlight LK - https://researchspace.csir.co.za PY - 2011 T1 - Harvesting sunlight energy: a biophysics approach TI - Harvesting sunlight energy: a biophysics approach UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6328 ER -