Semi-artificial photoelectrochemical synthesis

Semi-artificial photoelectrochemistry that combines light-absorbing materials with biocatalysts for sunlight-driven CO2 conversion is an attractive yet challenging topic to pursue. In a recent Angewandte Chemie International Edition article, Reisner and coworkers finely adjusted the electrolyte solution to facilitate biocatalysis, considering the vital role of chemical environment on enzyme electroactivity. In the optimum electrolyte solution, an unbiased biophotoelectrochemical CO2-to-formate conversion is realized with a solar-to-formate efficiency approaching 1%, representing a benchmark semi-artificial CO2-to-formate conversion.