Hybrid bioinorganic approach to solar-to-chemical conversion

Eva M Nichols; Joseph J Gallagher; Chong Liu; Yude Su; Joaquin Resasco; Yi Yu; Yujie Sun; Peidong Yang; Michelle C Y Chang; Christopher J Chang

doi:10.1073/pnas.1508075112

Hybrid bioinorganic approach to solar-to-chemical conversion

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Sep 15;112(37):11461-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1508075112. Epub 2015 Aug 24.

Authors

Eva M Nichols¹, Joseph J Gallagher², Chong Liu³, Yude Su⁴, Joaquin Resasco⁵, Yi Yu⁴, Yujie Sun⁶, Peidong Yang⁷, Michelle C Y Chang⁸, Christopher J Chang⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720;
² Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
³ Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720;
⁴ Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
⁵ Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
⁶ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322;
⁷ Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; Kavli Energy NanoSciences Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720; p_yang@berkeley.edu mcchang@berkeley.edu chrischang@berkeley.edu.
⁸ Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; p_yang@berkeley.edu mcchang@berkeley.edu chrischang@berkeley.edu.
⁹ Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 p_yang@berkeley.edu mcchang@berkeley.edu chrischang@berkeley.edu.

Abstract

Natural photosynthesis harnesses solar energy to convert CO2 and water to value-added chemical products for sustaining life. We present a hybrid bioinorganic approach to solar-to-chemical conversion in which sustainable electrical and/or solar input drives production of hydrogen from water splitting using biocompatible inorganic catalysts. The hydrogen is then used by living cells as a source of reducing equivalents for conversion of CO2 to the value-added chemical product methane. Using platinum or an earth-abundant substitute, α-NiS, as biocompatible hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts and Methanosarcina barkeri as a biocatalyst for CO2 fixation, we demonstrate robust and efficient electrochemical CO2 to CH4 conversion at up to 86% overall Faradaic efficiency for ≥ 7 d. Introduction of indium phosphide photocathodes and titanium dioxide photoanodes affords a fully solar-driven system for methane generation from water and CO2, establishing that compatible inorganic and biological components can synergistically couple light-harvesting and catalytic functions for solar-to-chemical conversion.

Keywords: artificial photosynthesis; carbon dioxide fixation; photocatalysis; solar fuels; water splitting.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Carbon Dioxide / chemistry
Catalysis
Electrolysis
Hydrogen / chemistry
Light
Materials Testing
Methane / chemistry
Methanosarcina barkeri / metabolism
Photosynthesis
Silicon / chemistry
Solar Energy*
Sunlight*
Temperature
Water / chemistry

Substances

Water
Carbon Dioxide
Hydrogen
Methane
Silicon

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding