Light-sensitized Enzymatic Hydrogen Evolution in Photoelectrochemical Configuration

This study introduces the photoelectrochemical (PEC) system for enzymatic hydrogen evolution by a light-sensitized photoanode and addresses the role of anodized tubular TiO2 electrodes (ATTE) both as a photoanode and a cathode in the system. The enzyme is immobilized on the cathodic ATTE increasing the rate of hydrogen evolution from 65 to 140 μmol/(cm²×hr). The enzyme exposed to air for even 3 weeks showed a hydrogen evolution rate that was 85.8% of that of the argon-purged enzyme. Further research has kept on designing a flat type reactor, enlarged electrode and the optimization of immobilized enzyme and red-shifted light absorption of the photoanode.