Inorganic-bacterial biohybrids for efficient solar-driven nitrogen fixation.
AI summary
70% confidenceThis study presents an inorganic-bacterial biohybrid system that combines Cu2O@TiO2 nanowires with Azotobacter vinelandii microorganisms to enhance the efficiency of solar-driven nitrogen fixation. The biohybrid system achieves an impressive ammonia yield of 1.49 ± 0.05 × 10⁻⁹ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻², attributed to the increased co-localization of photoexcited electrons and biocatalytic activity. This synergistic combination of inorganic and biological components demonstrates a promising approach for sustainable nitrogen fixation and energy production.
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Abstract
The integration of microbial nitrogen (N 2 ) fixation with photochemical processes using inorganic light-absorbing nanomaterials is a burgeoning field in sustainable energy production. Here, we explore the synergistic combination of inorganic semiconductor nanowires (NWs) with whole-cell microorganisms to create an inorganic-bacterial biohybrid system. Specifically, we employ Cu 2 O@TiO 2 NWs with a core/shell structure to harness sunlight and generate photoexcited electrons. Azotobacter vinelandii, serving as a biocatalyst, adsorbs onto these NWs and facilitates the reception of photoexcited electrons, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the photoelectrochemical N 2 fixation reaction (PEC-NRR). The biohybrid system achieves an impressive ammonia (NH 3 ) yield of (1.49 ± 0.05) × 10 -9 mol s -1 cm -2 (5.36 ± 0.18 μmol h -1 cm -2 ). The enhancement in NH 3 synthesis within the Cu 2 O@TiO 2 NWs/A. vinelandii biohybrid is attributed to the increased concentrations of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-hydrogen (NADH) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), as well as the overexpression of N 2 -fixing genes like nifH and nifD within the nitrogenase enzyme complex. This study underscores the potential of inorganic-bacterial biohybrid systems in solar-chemical conversion, paving the way for more diverse and functional approaches to harnessing solar energy for sustainable chemical production.