Review on Microreactors for Photo-Electrocatalysis Artificial Photosynthesis Regeneration of Coenzymes

Haixia Liu¹, Rui Sun², Yujing Yang¹, Chuanhao Zhang¹, Gaozhen Zhao¹, Kaihuan Zhang³, Lijuan Liang^{4

5}, Xiaowen Huang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250300, China.
² Jiaxing Key Laboratory of Biosemiconductors, Xiangfu Laboratory, Jiashan 314102, China.
³ 2020 X-Lab, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
⁵ Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.

PMID: 38930759
PMCID: PMC11205774
DOI: 10.3390/mi15060789

Review

Review on Microreactors for Photo-Electrocatalysis Artificial Photosynthesis Regeneration of Coenzymes

Haixia Liu et al. Micromachines (Basel). 2024.

. 2024 Jun 15;15(6):789.

doi: 10.3390/mi15060789.

Authors

Haixia Liu¹, Rui Sun², Yujing Yang¹, Chuanhao Zhang¹, Gaozhen Zhao¹, Kaihuan Zhang³, Lijuan Liang^{4

5}, Xiaowen Huang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250300, China.
² Jiaxing Key Laboratory of Biosemiconductors, Xiangfu Laboratory, Jiashan 314102, China.
³ 2020 X-Lab, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
⁵ Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.

PMID: 38930759
PMCID: PMC11205774
DOI: 10.3390/mi15060789

Abstract

In recent years, with the outbreak of the global energy crisis, renewable solar energy has become a focal point of research. However, the utilization efficiency of natural photosynthesis (NPS) is only about 1%. Inspired by NPS, artificial photosynthesis (APS) was developed and utilized in applications such as the regeneration of coenzymes. APS for coenzyme regeneration can overcome the problem of high energy consumption in comparison to electrocatalytic methods. Microreactors represent a promising technology. Compared with the conventional system, it has the advantages of a large specific surface area, the fast diffusion of small molecules, and high efficiency. Introducing microreactors can lead to more efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly coenzyme regeneration in artificial photosynthesis. This review begins with a brief introduction of APS and microreactors, and then summarizes research on traditional electrocatalytic coenzyme regeneration, as well as photocatalytic and photo-electrocatalysis coenzyme regeneration by APS, all based on microreactors, and compares them with the corresponding conventional system. Finally, it looks forward to the promising prospects of this technology.

Keywords: artificial photosynthesis; microreactor; photo-electrocatalysis; regeneration of coenzymes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

**Figure 2**
Schematic diagram of coenzyme regeneration. (A) Natural photosynthesis systems [40]. (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH). (B) Artificial photosynthesis systems [39]. (Copyright © 2021, Jiangnan University).

**Figure 3**
Materials of microreactor. (A) Silicon-based microreactor [65]. (Copyright © 2022, American Chemical Society) (B) Glass-based microreactor [68]. (Copyright © 2020, Science and Technology of Advanced Materials) (C) Ceramic-based microreactor [70]. (Copyright © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved). (D) PDMS-based microreactor [73]. (Copyright © 2022, Royal Society of Chemistry) (E) PMMA-based microreactor [75]. (Copyright © 2020, Nano Express). (F) Metal-based microreactor [79]. (Copyright © 2019, Royal Society of Chemistry). (G) Paper-based microreactor [84]. (Copyright © 2020, Royal Society of Chemistry). (H) Cloth-based microreactor [89]. (Copyright © 2018, Royal Society of Chemistry).

**Figure 4**
Preparation technology of microreactor. (A) Photolithography preparation steps [92]. (© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers). (B) Laser-induced hydrophilization technology [97]. (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved). (C) Preparation step of partition method [102]. (© 2015 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim).

**Figure 5**
Application fields of microreactors. (A) Microfluidic flow cytometer [107]. (Copyright © 2020, Anal. Chem). (B). Cancer metastasis process [108]. (Copyright © 2021, Signal Transduct. Target. Ther).

**Figure 6**
Photocatalytic coenzyme regeneration. (A) HRF-Au hollow nanosphere photocatalyst [125]. (Copyright © 2022, American Chemical Society). (B) Dual-functional novel core–shell nano-reactor [127]. (Copyright © 2022, Wiley-VCH GmbH) (C) Blade-like photocatalytic microreactor [129]. (Copyright © 2016, The Royal Society of Chemistry). (D) Capillary photocatalytic microreactor [132]. (Copyright © 2022, Catalysis Science & Technology). (E) Inorganic photocatalyst–enzyme system for formic acid synthesis [133]. (Copyright © 2020, American Chemical Society). (F) Photoreaction zone–dark reaction zone integrated microreactor [134]. (Copyright © 2011, The Royal Society of Chemistry). (G) Synthesis of L-glutamic acid [135]. (© 2022, Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved). (H) Photocatalytic microcapsule reactor [136]. (Copyright © 2018, Nanomaterials).

**Figure 7**
Electrocatalytic coenzyme regeneration. (A) Direct electrocatalytic reaction principle [55]. (Copyright © 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH). (B) Indirect electrochemical cofactor regeneration [140]. (Copyright © 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim). (C) Stability test results [141]. (Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society). (D) UV–vis absorption spectra of products obtained before (a) and after (b) adding alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde [144]. (Copyright © 2022, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces). (E) A schematic diagram of the influence of electrocatalytic potential on the regeneration yield of coenzyme [146]. (© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved). (F) A schematic diagram of the influence of electric field on the regeneration yield of coenzyme [147]. (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH). (G) Average sensitivity and linearity of array-flexible lactic acid enzymatic biosensor [148]. (© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved).

**Figure 8**
Photo-electrocatalysis coenzyme regeneration. (A) Regeneration scheme of coenzyme in photocathode [150]. (Copyright © 2023, J. Am. Chem. Soc.). (B) Schematic diagram of photocatalytic coenzyme regeneration in photocathode in presence of M [151]. (Copyright © 2024, American Chemical Society) (C) Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) scanning characterization of hematite before and after Co-Pi deposition under visible light chopping illumination. [152]. (© 2017, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (D) SEM characterization of ITO conductive glass modified by PDDS/TiO₂ film [153]. (Copyright © 2011, Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.) (E) LSV scanning curve of PFP-PAs under condition of no light and illumination [154]. (© 2020, Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.) (F) HAADF-STEM characterization of metal–organic frameworks [155]. (Copyright © 2022, American Chemical Society) (G) Physical diagram of photo-electric catalytic microreactor [156]. (Copyright © 2012, The Royal Society of Chemistry) (H) Schematic diagram of continuous photo-electrocatalytic microreactor [157]. (Copyright © 2019, The Royal Society of Chemistry) (I) SEM image of anodic titanium oxide coil [158] (© 2016, The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved).

**Figure 1**
Application field of artificial photosynthesis.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Review on Microreactors for Photo-Electrocatalysis Artificial Photosynthesis Regeneration of Coenzymes

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Review on Microreactors for Photo-Electrocatalysis Artificial Photosynthesis Regeneration of Coenzymes

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