Organized photocatalytic systems based on lipid vesicles and semiconductornanoparticles

Photochemical properties of cadmium sulfide semiconductor nanoparticles fix ed on the outer or inner surface of lipid vesicle membranes and the specifi c features of their formation are considered. Basic factors determining the size of CdS nanoparticles, which are formed ill situ in lipid vesicle syst ems, and the prospects of using for their use to increase the efficiency of photochemical charge separation at the vesicle cavity-membrane interface a re discussed. The methods are found for efficient, purposeful transmembrane electron phototransfer catalyzed by semiconductor nanoparticles in lipid v esicles. Preliminary experiments were carried out to create the electron tr ansport chain based on CdS/CuxS nanoheterostructures. New electron carriers , menadione and SiW12O404- heteropoly anions, were used for electron transf er through lipid membranes. It is shown that heteropoly 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.