Establishing inorganic-biological hybrid photoelectrochemical platform towards sustainable conversion of α-chitin

Integrating semiconductor light absorbers with biological catalysts (enzymes etc.) could combine the strengths of both components towards efficient and tunable light-driven chemical reactions. Herein, we established an inorganic-biological hybrid platform by integrating a silicon photocathode and a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs)-based enzymatic system with quinones as linkers. Through engineering the catalytic sites of the photocathode and screening mediators with desirable redox potential windows, visible light-driven conversion of α-chitin to soluble oxidized oligosaccharides via cascade catalysis were realized in the hybrid system with improved efficiency. This transformation scheme can be realized at mild conditions, which conceptually provides an environmentally-benign approach for the sustainable conversion of biomass like α-chitin to useful chemicals by utilizing solar energy.