Long afterglow particle enables spectral and temporal light management to boost photosynthetic efficiency

Herein, we develop a strategy of matched spectral and temporal light management to improve photosyn-thetic efficiency by co-assembling natural thylakoid membrane (TM) with artificial long afterglow parti-cle (LAP). To be specific, LAP with excellent stability and biocompatibility possesses the capabilities of light conversion and storage, optically-matched with the absorption of TM. These favorable features per-mit LAP as an additional well-functioned light source of photosynthesis performed by TM. As a conse-quence, enhanced photosynthesis is achieved after co-assembly, compared with pure TM. Under light, the rates of electron transfer, oxygen yield and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in this biohybrid architecture are boosted owing to down-conversion fluorescence emission from LAP. Under dark, persis-tent phosphorescence emission in charged LAP facilitates continual photosynthesis of TM, while that of pure TM almost stops immediately. This proof-of-concept work opens a new route to augment the pho-tosynthetic efficiency of green plants by utilizing precise light-managed materials.(c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A strategy of matched spectral and temporal light management is developed to improve photosynthetic efficiency by co-assembling natural thylakoid membrane (TM) with artificial long afterglow particle (LAP). LAP with excellent stability and biocompatibility is optically-matched with the absorption of TM, serving as an additional light source for photosynthesis. Enhanced photosynthesis is achieved after co-assembly, with boosted electron transfer, oxygen yield, and ATP production due to down-conversion fluorescence emission from LAP. This proof-of-concept work opens a new route to augment the photosynthetic efficiency of green plants by utilizing precise light-managed materials.