Nature-inspired enhancement in power conversion efficiency of bio-photovoltaics using photosynthetic protein complexes

Photosynthesis (PS) teaches us to manipulate power conversion efficiency (PCE) of bio-photovoltaics (Bio-PVs). Over the past few years, Bio-PVs have struggled with low PCE which have restricted their large-scale commercialization. The photosystems I (PSI) and photosystems II (PSII) as pigment-protein supercomplexes with quantum mechanics properties such as quantum coherence (QC), hopping, superposition and charge delocalization have been utilized as sensitizers of Bio-PVs. Physicochemical capabilities of photosystem sensitizers have recently triggered wide researches about enhancing quantum efficiency (QE), charge separation and excited energy transfer (EET) in Bio-PVs. With presenting summary of trends in Bio-PVs, efforts in this review has focused on highlighting the challenges including interdisciplinary tackling the toughest problems of this field. To achieve this goal, photosynthetic electron-hole transfer mechanism has been discussed as well as mimicking their pathways using state-of-the-art materials with representing impactful prospective. This review paper could be important because: (1) Points out the main reasons of low PCE of Bio-PVs and (2) Considers the photosystems from structural and physicochemical aspect to highlight what occurring in PS whose vacancy in Bio-PVs design is strongly felt.