Scientists at the University of Cambridge have invented a "semi-synthetic leaf" that mimics photosynthesis, converting sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into useful chemicals. This invention aims to reduce the chemical industry's dependence on fossil fuels.
The new system combines organic, light-absorbing polymers and bacterial enzymes to harness solar energy to convert carbon dioxide into formate, which can be used as a fuel and a starting material for synthesizing other compounds.
Unlike previous models, this "biohybrid leaf" contains no toxic semiconductors, has a longer lifespan, and requires no chemical additives. During testing, the prototype successfully used sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into formate, which was then used in a chain reaction to produce a pharmaceutical compound.
The system also demonstrated stable operation for over 24 hours and achieved near-perfect electron transfer efficiency in the fuel reaction. This is the first time that organic semiconductors have been used in such a biohybrid prototype.
Professor Erwin Reissner, who led the project, said this type of technology could serve as a platform for the chemical industry's "defossilization"—a transition toward clean and renewable production of fuels and raw materials needed for plastics, fertilizers, cosmetics, and many other everyday products.
