Biohybrids: Pioneering sustainable chemical synthesis at the energy-environment frontier
September 24, 2025
With global energy demand climbing and climate challenges intensifying, researchers are exploring transformative new ways to make chemical manufacturing sustainable.
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In a review published in Energy & Environment Nexus, an international team led by Dr. Yong Jiang and colleagues from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Technical University of Denmark, and Tsinghua University highlight “biohybrid” synthesis systems—an innovative technology integrating living cells with advanced materials—to unlock clean production of chemicals for a greener future.
Biohybrids represent a breakthrough by combining the strengths of biology and materials science. These systems leverage energy sources such as direct current electricity, sunlight, and even water evaporation or mechanical motion to activate specially engineered abiotic materials.
Once excited, these materials transfer electrons to microbial cells, catalyzing the manufacture of value-added chemicals from carbon dioxide (CO₂), water, and other simple substances. The review details dramatic recent progress: solar-powered “semi-artificial photosynthesis” using whole microbial cells, novel electrode designs, and tandem systems that accelerate both electrocatalytic and biocatalytic steps.
One focal technology, microbial electrosynthesis (MES), uses biohybrid electrodes to convert CO₂ into valuable products. MES operates at mild conditions, offering selectivity and stability in transforming waste carbon into fuels and chemicals. The team spotlighted emerging formate-mediated tandem reactions, where formate acts as an electron and carbon carrier, enabling faster bio-conversion and opening doors for efficient renewable chemical synthesis.
Researchers also discuss semi-artificial photosynthetic systems that surpass natural photosynthesis by using semiconductor materials to channel solar energy more efficiently. These hybrid systems pave the way for scalable production of chemicals like methane, acetate, and even bioplastics, directly from sunlight and captured carbon.
The review explores the next frontiers in biohybrid design, introducing materials that harvest energy from natural water cycles (hydrovoltaic effects) and mechanical motion (piezoelectricity). These advances could enable self-powered systems that operate in diverse environments—providing new solutions for wastewater treatment, soil carbon capture, and environmental remediation.
“Biohybrid technologies are poised to reshape chemical synthesis, harnessing renewable energy and biological ingenuity for environmental protection,” said co-author Dr. Shungui Zhou.
“Realizing their potential will require deepening our understanding of the interactions between advanced materials and living cells, while exploring even more sustainable energy sources such as magnetic and thermal inputs.”
The research identifies key challenges ahead: optimizing electron and energy transfer at the interface between materials and microbes, and engineering microbial systems for broader product diversity.
The authors are hopeful that biohybrids, especially those leveraging efficient formate-mediated processes, could accelerate progress toward net-zero chemical manufacturing and resilient environmental management.
More information: Jiang Y, et al. Biohybrids for sustainable chemical synthesis. Energy & Environment Nexus (2025). DOI: 10.48130/een-0025-0002. www.maxapress.com/article/doi/ … .48130/een-0025-0002
Provided by Shenyang Agricultural University
This story was originally published on Phys.org.
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