Electrocatalytic metals and microorganisms can be combined for CO 2 conversion in microbial electrosynthesis (MES). However, a systematic investigation on the nature of interactions between metals and MES is still lacking. To investigate this nature, we integrated a copper electrocatalyst, converting CO 2 to formate, with microorganisms, converting CO 2 to acetate. A co-catalytic (i. e. metabolic) relationship was evident, as up to 140 mg L À 1 of formate was produced solely by copper oxide, while formate was also evidently produced by copper and consumed by microorganisms producing acetate. Due to nonmetabolic interactions, current density decreased by over 4 times, though acetate yield increased by 3.3 times. Despite the antimicrobial role of copper, biofilm formation was possible on a pure copper surface. Overall, we show for the first time that a CO 2 -reducing copper electrocatalyst can be combined with MES under biological conditions, resulting in metabolic and non-metabolic interactions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.