In\nSitu Self-Inflating-Modeled Giant-Vesicle-Like\nQuantum Dot Assembly for Biomimetic Artificial Photosynthesis

The\nstudy of biomimetic self-assembly is crucial for scientists\naiming to understand the origin of life and construct biomimetic functional\nstructures. In our endeavor to create a biomimetic photosynthetic\nassembly, we discover a self-inflation behavior that drives the components,\nMPA-CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and a solid cationic polyelectrolyte, <b>CPPA</b>, to form a giant-vesicle-like (GVL) architecture, termed <b>GVL-QDs@CPPA</b>. The <i>in situ</i> generation of osmotic\npressure during the self-assembly of QDs onto swollen <b>CPPA</b> in water was found to cause this self-inflation process. The resulting\nvesicle-like structure exhibits spatial characteristics similar to\nthose of natural photosynthetic cells, with QDs acting as pigments\nuniformly distributed on the <b>CPPA</b> membranes, which have\nembedded cobalt catalytic centers. This architecture ensures optimal\nabsorption of visible light and facilitates efficient electron transfer\nbetween the QDs and catalytic centers. As a result, <b>GVL-QDs@CPPA</b> assemblies efficiently harness photogenerated electrons and holes\nto convert protons and isopropanol into hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) and\nacetone, respectively, achieving a nearly 1:1 ratio of the reduction\nproduct (H<sub>2</sub>) to the oxidation product (acetone).