Organized Photocatalytic Systems
Based on Lipid Vesicles and Semiconductor Nanoparticles¹

O. V. Vasil’tsova* and V. N. Parmon**

* Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia
** Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia

Received July 8, 1998

Abstract—Photochemical properties of cadmium sulfide semiconductor nanoparticles fixed on the outer or
inner surface of lipid vesicle membranes and the specific features of their formation are considered. Basic fac-
tors determining the size of CdS nanoparticles, which are formed in situ in lipid vesicle systems, and the pros-
pects of using for their use to increase the efficiency of photochemical charge separation at the vesicle cavity–
membrane interface are discussed. The methods are found for efficient, purposeful transmembrane electron pho-
totransfer catalyzed by semiconductor nanoparticles in lipid vesicles. Preliminary experiments were carried out to
create the electron transport chain based on CdS/Cu_xS nanoheterostructures. New electron carriers, menadione
and SiW₁₂ heteropoly anions, were used for electron transfer through lipid membranes. It is shown that het-
eropoly anions immobilized on the vesicle surface provide efficient conjugation of electron transport chains. This
enables in the creation of an active photocatalytic system for the reduction of water into hydrogen.

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