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A NEW METHOD TO PREPARE BLUE MEMBRANE BY REMOVING THE CATIONS FROM THE PURPLE MEMBRANE BY ELECTROLYSIS
Author(s) -
Liu SuYi,
Ebrey T. G.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1987.tb04811.x
Subject(s) - membrane , electrolysis , anode , electrode , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , biochemistry , electrolyte
The purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium will change to the blue membrane when the cations bound to the membrane are removed. Here we introduce a new method to remove the cations by applying a moderate potential (20 V) between two platinum electrodes in a chamber containing a purple membrane solution. The purple membrane is deposited on the anode where the cations are removed by the low pH near this electrode due to the electrolysis of water. The blue membrane made by this method seems identical with blue membrane made by other methods but it can be made more quickly and in large quantities.