Wired and Wireless Photosynthetic Biohybrids: Design, Materials, and Mechanisms

Area of Science:

• Biohybrid systems
• Photocatalysis
• Sustainable chemistry

Background:

• Photosynthetic biohybrid systems (PBSs) combine semiconductor light harvesters with microbial metabolism for solar-driven chemical synthesis.
• Current understanding of PBS performance is fragmented across wired (photoelectrode-microbe interface) and wireless (catalyst-sensitized microbes) architectures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare the chemical principles governing wired and wireless photosynthetic biohybrid systems.
• To identify unifying principles and bottlenecks for designing next-generation PBSs.
• To provide a framework for efficient solar-to-chemical conversion.

Main Methods:

• Review of materials chemistry in semiconductor photoelectrodes and catalysts.
• Analysis of interfacial electron transfer mechanisms in both wired and wireless systems.
• Evaluation of biological constraints including microbial metabolism, cellular uptake, and community dynamics.

Main Results:

• Wired systems: stability, biocompatibility, charge transfer, microbial dynamics, and operational parameters are crucial.
• Wireless systems: semiconductor choice, cellular uptake, redox coupling, and electron delivery mechanisms are key design rules.
• Comparison reveals common chemical principles and limitations across both architectures.

Conclusions:

• A comparative framework is established for understanding and designing PBSs.
• Identifying bottlenecks is essential for advancing efficiency in solar-driven chemical synthesis.
• This review facilitates the predictive design of advanced PBSs for sustainable energy applications.