Enzymatic Flow Electrolyzer for CO <sub>2</sub> and Waste Comproportionation to Formate and Its Use in Photocatalytic Alkene Hydrocarboxylation
Abstract Paired electrolysis enables the simultaneous coupling of CO 2 reduction with anodic waste upcycling to form valuable products. However, achieving selective, efficient, and stable product formation and coupling to downstream valorization remains a challenge. In this study, W‐containing formate dehydrogenase from Nitratidesulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough is immobilized onto a cathode made from carbon felt coated with porous TiO 2 and paired with a commercial Ni foam anode to assemble a semiartificial flow electrolyzer for the simultaneous conversion of CO 2 and waste (plastic and biomass) to the single product formate. The enzymatic flow electrolyzer achieved an initial cell faradaic efficiency toward formate of almost 200%, a maximum CO 2 conversion yield of 18% and can operate at a low full‐cell voltage of −1.5 V for 122 h, which allows for bias‐free operation with a silicon photovoltaic cell. The aqueous formate produced in the enzymatic electrolyzer was subsequently utilized downstream as a C 1 building block in the photocatalytic hydrocarboxylation of alkenes, providing a path for the domino valorization of CO 2 and waste toward bulk and fine chemical synthesis.
Authors
- Andrea Rogolino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7632-0658)
- Guilherme Martins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9387-3975)
- Beverly Qian Ling Low (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6142-1824)
- Samuel J. Cobb (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5015-8090)
- Erwin Reisner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7781-1616)
- Inês A. C. Pereira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3283-4520)
- Santiago Rodríguez‐Jiménez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2979-8525)
- Han Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8090-9684)
Institutions
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Zero to Three (US)
- Universidade Nova de Lisboa (PT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Angewandte Chemie
- Published
- 2025-09-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.202515810
- Primary Topic
- CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00