United States Patent
US Patent 4427511: Photo-induced electron transfer method
US 4427511 ยท granted 1984-01-24
| Patent Number | 4427511 |
|---|---|
| Title | Photo-induced electron transfer method |
| Filed | 1982-08-12 |
| Granted | 1984-01-24 |
| Inventor(s) | Roland Wohlgemuth, Melvin Calvin |
| Assignee | Individual |
| CPC Classification | B01J19/122, C01B3/00, B01J19/00 |
| Number of Claims | 2 |
Abstract
The efficiency of photo-induced electron transfer reactions is increased and the back transfer of electrons in such reactions is greatly reduced when a photo-sensitizer zinc porphyrin-surfactant and an electron donor manganese porphyrin-surfactant are admixed into phospho-lipid membranes. The phospholipids comprising said membranes are selected from phospholipids whose head portions are negatively charged. Said membranes are contacted with an aqueous medium in which an essentially neutral viologen electron acceptor is admixed. Catalysts capable of transfering electrons from reduced viologen electron acceptor to hydrogen to produce elemental hydrogen are also included in the aqueous medium. An oxidizable olefin is also admixed in the phospholipid for the purpose of combining with oxygen that coordinates with oxidized electron donor manganese porphyrin-surfactant.
Claims Summary
1. An improved photo-energy induced electron transfer method wherein an aqueous medium is dissociated comprising mixing a photo-sensitizer zinc porphyrin-surfactant, an electron donor metal complex-surfactant, and an oxidizable organic reactant with a phospholipid having a negatively-charged hydrophilic head portion, forming said phospholipid and admixed photo-sensitizer zinc-porphyrin-surfactant, electron donor metal complex-surfactant, and oxidizable organic reactant into a negatively surface charged membrane, contacting said membrane and admixed components with an aqueous medium in which an essentially uncharged electron acceptor is dissolved, and also in which a catalyst is admixed, contacting the photo sensitizer with photo-energy to thereby activate said photo-sensitizer, thereupon transfering an electron from the activated photo-sensitizer to the electron acceptor to thereby negatively charge said electron acceptor and repel the charged electron acceptor from the negatively surf