Material–microbe interactions for solar power–driven biochemical synthesis

The past years have witnessed extensive research efforts to develop efficient platforms facilitating interactions between abiotic materials and microorganisms to accomplish the solar-driven synthesis of various biochemicals. This process, referred to as semiartificial photosynthesis, is described in this chapter, highlighting challenges to developing semiartificial photosynthetic systems in which photosynthetic microorganisms are coupled to electrodes. Approaches to enhance electrochemical interaction between biotic and abiotic components will also be discussed focusing on three components: the biocatalyst, the biotic–abiotic interface, and the abiotic material. Accordingly, the chapter presents microorganism modification through nanoparticles and synthetic biology, the use of artificial redox mediators and polymers to immobilize and facilitate extracellular electron transfer between microorganisms and electrodes, and the use of porous and microstructured electrodes that facilitate microorganism colonization of the abiotic material.