Chem. J. Chinese Universities ›› 2022, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (6): 20220089.doi: 10.7503/cjcu20220089

• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Electron Transfer on the Semiconductor-microbe Interface and Its Environmental Application

LI Yidi1,2, TIAN Xiaochun1, LI Junpeng1,2, CHEN Lixiang1, ZHAO Feng1()   

  1. 1.CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion,Institute of Urban Environment,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Xiamen 361021,China
    2.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China
  • Received:2022-02-15 Online:2022-06-10 Published:2022-03-27
  • Contact: ZHAO Feng E-mail:fzhao@iue.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Key Research & Development Program of China(2018YFC1800502);the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, China(22025603)

Abstract:

Semiconductors are widely detected in the natural environment, and microbes are one of the most abundant living organisms on the earth. Semiconductor-microbe hybrid system plays a key role in many fields, such as deeply degradation and mineralization of refractory pollutants, synthesis of value-added chemicals, and bio- geochemical cycles of elements. The key factor between semiconductors and microorganism centers on the electron transfer mechanism and pathway on the abiotic/biotic interface. Therefore, this review focused on the electron transfer on semiconductor-microbe interface, and summed up the functional types of microorganisms, types of semiconductors and photocatalytic mechanism on the biotic/abiotic hybrid system. Direct and indirect electron transfer pathway on the semiconductor-microbe interface were summarized. Methods of enhancing electron transfer methods were also introduced, including direct electron transfer enhanced by semiconductor modification, reducing photo-electrons and holes recombination, and indirect electron transfer enhanced by electron shuttles and carriers. At last, this paper introduces the application of the semiconductor-microbe hybrid system in the environmental field over recent years, including refractory pollutants synergistic degradation, value-added chemical synthesis, and elemental bio-geochemical cycling on the earth. We hope this review will help researchers to strengthen the understanding of the semiconductor-microbe interface, and propose solutions for the design and applications of the hybrid semiconductor-microbe system in the environmental field.

Key words: Semiconductor, Microbe, Extracellular electron transfer, Microbial electrochemistry, Microbial electrosynthesis

CLC Number: 

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