ISBN: 978-83-60043-10-3 - eurobic9

Eurobic9, 2-6 September, 2008, Wrocław, Poland
P163. Towards Photo-catalytic Hydrogen Production with
Desulfomicrobium baculatum [NiFeSe]-hydrogenase Adsorbed to Titanium
Dioxide Nanoparticles
E. Reisner and F.A. Armstrong
Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK
e-mail: erwin.reisner@chem.ox.ac.uk
Many consider a hydrogen economy as the most promising solution to replace today’s carbon-based fuel driven
energy system. However, efficient and inexpensive H2 production, storage, and combination with O2 in
affordable fuel cells are major obstacles, which need to be solved to sustain such an economy. The solar-driven
conversion of water into H2 would be an ideal solution for hydrogen fuel production.[1,2] Given the enormity of
scale up, investigations at the atomic and molecular level seem a far cry from reality: Yet Biology has managed
to handle the complicated task of water reduction by using enzymes known as hydrogenases to catalyze the
reversible reduction of protons into H2 at high turnover rates. Direct electron transfer to hydrogenases attached to
a photo-catalytic center allows for the generation of H2 upon irradiation. [NiFeSe]-Hydrogenases from
Desulfomicrobium baculatum are both very efficient H2 oxidation and production catalysts under anaerobic
conditions and show high catalytic activity for H2 evolution in the presence of H2 or traces (at least 1 %) of
O2.[3] Herein, we report on our preliminary findings of direct electron transfer between the [NiFeSe]hydrogenase
and titanium dioxide nanoparticles and its consequences for photo-catalytic H2 production. In
particular, protein film voltammetry of [NiFeSe]-hydrogenase on a photo-catalytic titanium dioxide nanoparticle
electrode shows direct electron transfer and high stability compared to graphite.
Acknowledgement: This work is supported by BBSRC (BB/D52222X/1).
[1] Balzani, V.; Credi, A.; Venturi, M. ChemSusChem 2008, 1, 26–58.
[2] Esswein, A. J.; Nocera, D. G. Chem. Rev. 2007, 107, 4022–4047.
[3] Parkin, A.; Goldet, G.; Cavazza, C.; Fontecilla-Camps, J. C.; Armstrong, F. A. submitted.
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