Redox catalytic device for chemical production
and environmental remediation 

Bio-abiotic Hybrid Catalytic Interfaces for Valorization of CO2 into Complex and High-Value Chemicals

Electrochemistry represents an emerging and transformative platform for addressing pressing global challenges in energy, climate, and sustainability. (Photo)electrocatalytic and photocatalytic systems have demonstrated CO2 conversion into chemical products such as CO, CH4, C2H4, and CH3OH. However, because of the intrinsic kinetic and thermodynamic complexity of multi-electron CO2 reduction pathways, purely abiotic (semi)conductors remain limited in their ability to synthesize higher-order or functionally complex (e.g., bioplastics, C2+ fuels) with high selectivity. To overcome this limitation, our group investigates hybrid bio-abiotic catalytic interfaces that couple (semi)conducting catalysts with redox-active microorganisms. By integrating the complementary reactivities of biological and abiotic systems, we aim to enable the sustainable valorization of CO2 into structurally complex and high-value chemicals using renewable energy inputs such as sunlight and electricity.

(Photo)electrocatalytic and photocatalytic valorization of wastes

Plastics are indispensable in modern society, with more than 390 million tonnes produced annually, and their usage has further escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the majority of end-of-life plastics are incinerated or accumulate in landfills and natural ecosystems, leading to a substantial economic loss of reduced carbon resources (estimated at 80-120 billion USD per year) as well as severe environmental burdens. Their degradation also generates microplastics (<5 mm), which are widely dispersed across marine ecosystems and even drinking water, where conventional recovery and recycling are practically infeasible.

Despite posing ecological risks, plastic wastes represent a chemically energy-rich carbon feedstock that can substitute for water oxidation in catalytic systems. Because the oxidative half-reaction in redox (photo)electrocatalysis and photocatalysis is typically kinetically sluggish and energy-intensive, replacing water oxidation with oxidative depolymerization of plastic waste offers a thermodynamically more favorable route. This approach enables simultaneous pollution mitigation and chemical valorization. Our research focuses on engineering metallic and semiconducting (photo)electrocatalysts to couple plastic oxidation with the reductive synthesis of valuable compounds (e.g., bioplastics, CO2-derived fuels). By integrating waste decomposition with reductive catalysis, we aim to transform the oxidative half-reaction into a productive upcycling pathway while advancing carbon-neutral chemical manufacturing.