| abstract |
The invention relates to a nano-biohybrid organism (or nanorg) comprising one of at least seven different core-shell quantum dots (QDs) or gold nanoparticle clusters, with excitations ranging from ultraviolet to near-infrared energies, couple with targeted enzyme sites in bacteria. When illuminated by light, these QDs drive the renewable production of biofuel molecules and chemicals using carbon-dioxide (CO 2 ), water, and nitrogen (from air) as substrates. Nanorgs catalyze light-induced air-water-CO 2 reduction with a high turnover number (TON) of approximately 10 6 -10 8 (mols of product per mol of cells) to biofuels such as isopropanol (IPA), butane diol, gasoline additives, gasoline substitutes, 2,3-butanediol (BDO), C11-C15 methyl ketones (MKs), and hydrogen (H2); Sand chemicals such as formic acid (FA), ammonia (NH 3 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ), and degradable bioplastics, e.g. polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). These nanorg cells function as nano-microbial factories powered by light. |