Photoinduced electron transport across a lipid bilayer mediated by C70

Carbon 70 (C70), a fullerene molecule, can effect electron transport more efficiently than previous artificial molecules due to its ability to act as a photosensitizer. C70 thus uses light to cause donor molecules to give up electrons. Moreover, C70 is a significant improvement over earlier mediators of electron transport because it can move electrons across a lipid bilayer membrane. These properties endow C70 and future fullerenes with great promise as transmembrane electron-transport systems.