Project Ecat-Acetogens - Using CO₂ for the production of chemicals

26/07/2021

• Challenge
• Objectives
• Methods
• Partners

When it comes to climate change, reducing emissions of the greenhouse gas CO₂ is an important task. Both electrochemical and biological CO₂-fixing processes can be used to effectively convert emissions into usable chemicals. Both processes have already been successfully coupled in industry. Can these processes also be integrated economically in a single system?

The aim of the project is to develop inexpensive and biocompatible carbon-based electrocatalysts. This will make it possible to combine the electrochemical utilisation of CO₂ and the bacterial fermentation of CO₂ in one compact bioelectrochemical system. Reduced maintenance compared to coupled systems would be advantageous for decentral use of the technology. Furthermore, the new technology can avoid the use of expensive metals such as silver or gold.

With photosynthesis, nature shows us how CO₂ can be converted into sugar with the help of light and thus made usable. We are inspired by the way biomolecules activate CO₂ and transfer the concept to conductive materials similar to activated carbon using a chemical method we developed for that purpose. Like silver or gold, these inexpensive electrocatalysts can utilize electricity for the conversion of CO₂. Unlike expensive metals, they can also do this in the presence of bacteria.

Project coordination
Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM)
Partner
Technical University of Munich, Chair of Bioprocess Engineering
BAM, Department of Dangerous Goods Packaging
Funding
The project is part of a DFG priority programme (SPP 2240)

Ecat-Acetogens - Using CO₂ for the production of chemicals in a combined bioelectrochemical system

In the project, inexpensive and biocompatible carbon-based electrocatalysts are being developed. These will be used in one combined bioelectrochemical system for the production of chemicals from CO₂.

Two-way recycling of CO₂ emissions

Metabolites are produced electrochemically from CO₂ molecules, which acetogenic bacteria use to convert further CO₂ molecules into usable chemicals. For this purpose, inexpensive and biocompatible carbon-based electrocatalysts are to be developed in the project. The integration of an electrolysis cell and a bioreactor into a bioelectrochemical reactor can become economical in this way.

Project coordination

Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM)
Division Dangerous Goods Packaging

Project partners

TUM - Technische Universität München, Lehrstuhl für Bioverfahrenstechnik

Funding

The Ecat-Acetogens collaborative research project is funded under the DFG Priority Programme Bioelectrochemical and Engineering Foundations for Establishing Electro-Biotechnology for Biosynthesis - eBiotech (SPP 2240).