# US 7,745,023 B2 · Structured material for the production of hydrogen > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,745,023 B2 - Document ID: US7745023B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/915,934 - Filed: 2004-08-09 - Published: 2005-08-11 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2003-08-08 - Assignees: Regents of the University of Minnesota - Inventors: Michael C. Flickinger; Caroline S. Harwood; Federico Rey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745023B2 ## CPC - C12N 1/205: Bacterial isolates - C12M 21/02: {Photobioreactors (culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12)} - C12M 21/04: {for producing gas, e.g. biogas (digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10)} - C12M 23/04: {Flat or tray type, drawers (C12M23/10, C12M23/12, C12M23/16 take precedence)} - C12M 23/16: {Microfluidic devices; Capillary tubes (integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; microreactors B01J19/0093)} - C12M 43/08: {Bioreactors or fermenters combined with devices or plants for production of electricity} - C12N 11/087: Acrylic polymers - C12N 11/098: formed in the presence of the enzymes or microbial cells - C12P 3/00: Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide {(recovery of carbon dioxides as by-products C12F3/02)} - C12R 2001/01: Bacteria or Actinomycetales {; using bacteria or Actinomycetales} - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)} - C12R: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES C12C - C12Q, RELATING TO MICROORGANISMS ## Abstract The present invention provides composite biological devices that include biological material as an integral component thereof. The devices can be used for producing hydrogen gas, for example. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composite biological device comprising: a layered biostructure comprising a first phototrophic biological material embedded in a first polymer layer, a second phototrophic biological material embedded in a second polymer layer, and at least one additional porous layer that does not contain a phototrophic biological material, wherein each of the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material are metabolically active under non-growth conditions for at least 8 hours; and wherein each of the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material can produce H2 gas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials can produce electricity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is thermotolerant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is aerobic or anaerobic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is genetically optimized for at least one of: light absorption and H2 gas production. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is a microorganism. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials Rhodopseudomonas palustris. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials comprises Rhodopseudomonas palustris with at least one mutated nitrogenase enzyme that results in increased H2 gas evolution relative to the wild type organism. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the Rhodopseudomonas palustris lacks a functional molybdenum nitrogenase, a functional iron nitrogenase, a functional vanadium nitrogenase, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the Rhodopseudomonas palustris is a deletion mutant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the Rhodopseudomonas palustris deletion mutant is a ΔvnfH deletion mutant, a ΔanfH deletion mutant, a ΔnifH deletion mutant, a ΔvnfHΔanfH deletion mutant, a ΔnifHΔanfH deletion mutant, or a ΔnifHΔvnfH deletion mutant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials comprises algae. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the algae is Chlamydomonas. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers is a light transmissive layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The device of claim 14, wherein the light transmissive layer is the polymer layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The device claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the biostructure comprises a nonporous latex-derived material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the biostructure comprises at least one layer comprising a porous latex-derived material and at least one layer comprising a nonporous latex-derived material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17 wherein the nonporous latex-derived material defines at least one channel or at least one well. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises an acrylate/vinyl acetate, polystyrene, or a polymer blend latex. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more carbohydrates. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the biostructure forms a coating on a reflective substrate. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the biostructure forms a coating on a conductive substrate. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the biostructure forms a coating on a photosensitive substrate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The device of claim 14 wherein the at least one light transmissive layer is conductive. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the biostructure further comprises a spacer or channel layer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The device of claim 25 wherein the spacer or channel layer is conductive. ### Claim 27 A method of making a composite biological device, the method comprising: depositing at least one first polymer layer comprising a first phototrophic biological material embedded in the first polymer layer onto a first porous layer that does not contain a phototrophic biological material to form a first biological material containing surface, and depositing at least one second polymer layer comprising a second phototrophic biological material embedded in the second polymer layer onto a second porous layer that does not contain a phototrophic biological material to form a second biostructure having a biological material containing surface, wherein the first polymer layer establishes non-growth conditions for the first phototrophic biological material and the second polymer layer establishes non-growth conditions for the second phototrophic biological material, wherein each of the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material is metabolically active under the non-growth condition for at least 8 hours, and wherein each of the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material can produce H2 gas. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, further comprising depositing at least one additional layer of a polymer on at least one of the phototrophic biological material containing surfaces of the device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the polymer comprises an acrylate/vinyl acetate, polystyrene, or a polymer blend latex. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the polymer comprises an acrylate/vinyl acetate, polystyrene, or a polymer blend latex. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the first layer is porous. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the additional layer is porous. ### Claim 33 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is aerobic or anaerobic. ### Claim 34 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials produces a gas in response to light. ### Claim 35 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the gas is H2 gas or carbon dioxide. ### Claim 36 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is a metabolically active microorganism. ### Claim 37 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials comprises Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Chlamydomonas, Rhodobacter, Rhodococcus, Geobacter, a photosynthetic cyanobacterium, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 38 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first biological material and the second biological material are different. ### Claim 39 A composite biological device comprising: a layered biostructure comprising a polymer layer comprising a first phototrophic biological material and a second phototrophic biological material embedded in the polymer layer, and at least one additional porous layer that does not contain a phototrophic biological material, wherein each of the first biological material and the second biological material is metabolically active under non-growth conditions for at least 8 hours; and wherein each of the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material can produce H2 gas. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39 wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials can produce electricity. ### Claim 41 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39 wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is thermotolerant. ### Claim 42 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is aerobic or anaerobic. ### Claim 43 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is genetically optimized for at least one of: light absorption and H2 gas production. ### Claim 44 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is a microorganism. ### Claim 45 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological material comprises Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Chlamydomonas, Rhodobacter, Rhodococcus, Geobacter, a photosynthetic cyanobacterium, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 46 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials comprises Rhodopseudomonas palustris with at least one mutated nitrogenase enzyme that results in increased H2 gas evolution relative to the wild type organism. ### Claim 47 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials comprises algae. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The device of claim 47, wherein the algae is Chlamydomonas. ### Claim 49 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39 wherein the biostructure forms a coating on a reflective substrate. ### Claim 50 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39 wherein the biostructure forms a coating on a conductive substrate. ### Claim 51 (depends on 39) The device of claim 39 wherein the biostructure forms a coating on a photosensitive substrate. ### Claim 52 A method of making a composite biological device, the method comprising: depositing at least one polymer layer comprising a first phototrophic biological material and a second phototrophic biological material embedded in the polymer layer onto a first porous layer that does not contain a phototrophic biological material, wherein the polymer layer establishes non-growth conditions for the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material, wherein each of the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material is metabolically active under the non-growth condition for at least 8 hours, and wherein each of the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material can produce H2 gas. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, further comprising depositing at least one additional layer of a polymer on at least one of the phototrophic biological material containing surfaces of the device. ### Claim 54 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is aerobic or anaerobic. ### Claim 55 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials produces a gas in response to light. ### Claim 56 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the gas is H2 gas or carbon dioxide. ### Claim 57 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials is a metabolically active microorganism. ### Claim 58 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials comprises Rhodopseudomonas plaustris, Chlamydomonas, Rhodobacter, Rhodococcus, Geobacter, a photosynthetic cyanobacterium, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 59 A composite biological device comprising: a layered biostructure comprising a first phototrophic biological material embedded in a first polymer layer, a second phototrophic biological material embedded in a second polymer layer, and at least one additional porous layer that does not contain a phototrophic biological material, wherein each of the first phototrophic biological material and the second phototrophic biological material are metabolically active under non-growth conditions. ### Claim 60 (depends on 59) The composite biological device of claim 59, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials comprises Rhodopseudomonas plaustris, Chlamydomonas, Rhodobacter, Rhodococcus, Geobacter, a photosynthetic cyanobacterium, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 61 (depends on 1) The composite biological device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the phototrophic biological materials comprises Rhodopseudomonas plaustris, Chlamydomonas, Rhodobacter, Rhodococcus, Geobacter, a photosynthetic cyanobacterium, or any combination thereof.