Bio-nano hybrid materials based on bacteriorhodopsin: Potential applications and future strategies

• Bacteriorhodopsin is promising for use in bioelectronics and energy conversion.
• QDs can improve the proton pumping performance of bR.
• There are two basic approaches to achieve bR based hydrogen generation.
• Charge transfer rate in bR-TiO2 interface has influence on BSSCs performance.

This review presents an overview of recent progress in the development of bio-nano hybrid materials based on the photoactive protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR). The interfacing of bR with various nanostructures including colloidal nanoparticles (such as quantum dots and Ag NPs) and nanoparticulate thin films (such as TiO2 NPs and ZnO NPs,) has developed novel functional materials. Applications of these materials are comprehensively reviewed in two parts: bioelectronics and solar energy conversion. Finally, some perspectives on possible future strategies in bR-based nanostructured devices are presented.

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