A Broadband Multiplex Living Solar Cell.

Developing renewable and sustainable energy sources is a compelling goal in materials science and engineering. In particular, natural photosynthesis with its infinite energy reservoir provides profound inspiration for energy conversion and storage systems. Here, we report a multiplex living solar cell that offers a drastic power enhancement by harnessing the broadband spectra of the visible wavelength range for photosynthesis. Cyanobacteria are embedded into a nanostructural complex composed of Au nanoparticles (NPs) and ZnO nanorods (NRs). This nanocomposite system is capable of not only generating excitons but also amplifying the photosynthetic performance of the cell via a far-field scattering effect in the broadband region of the light, resulting in multiplex energy harvesting with a peak power density of 6.15 mW/m2. We envision that this study will provide a strategic way to enhance the performance of biophotovoltaics, enabling efficient and durable energy generation.