Light-powered bioelectrochemical conversion of CO2 for the synthesis of value-added chemicals based on gas-diffusion electrodes and enzyme cascades

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The (bio)electrochemical conversion of CO2 to value added chemicals has gained great attention during recent years. Related economically viable and sustainable systems would decrease the global CO2 volume and circumvent drawbacks that are coupled to the use of fossil fuels for carbon base chemical production. In this project we will develop new redox polymers that allow for the wring of the redox protein formate dehydrogenase (FDH) that catalyses reversibly the interconversion of CO2 to formate using gas diffusion electrodes. This active CO2 reduction layer will then be coupled to enzyme cascades in which the C1 precursor formate is further converted into the value-added chemical methanol. The entire enzyme cascade will be immobilized at the electrode surface to ensure applicability of the approach towards technical relevant systems. The developed CO2 reducing biocathode will then be coupled to a high current density polymer/photo-system II-based bioanode in a photoelectrochemical cell that allows for solar-driven production of methanol from CO2 acting as the only carbon feedstock. The advantages of the proposed system are obvious: (i) the use of a 3D-structured redox polymer will enable the wiring of a high number of biocatalyst to the electrode surface by simultaneously providing a suitable hydrophilic environment for the biocatalyst; (ii) the implementation of gas diffusion electrodes will overcome mass transport limitations and (iii) the use of light to power the production of methanol will lead to a sustainable and eco-friendly overall manufacturing process.