This light-powered catalyst mimics photosynthesis

This light-powered catalyst mimics photosynthesis

The new molecule, known as a biohybrid photocatalyst, can improve the yield of reactions for generating pharmaceuticals and other useful compounds.

To create their new biohybrid catalyst, the researchers decided to mimic photosynthesis and combine two separate elements.

The researchers now plan to try swapping in different light-harvesting proteins and catalysts, to adapt their approach for a variety of chemical reactions.















MIT researchers believe this can be used to generate pharmaceuticals.





Image: Courtesy of the researchers























Schematic of the new type of catalyst.





Image: Courtesy of the researchers











By mimicking photosynthesis, the light-driven process that plants use to produce sugars, MIT researchers have designed a new type of photocatalyst that can absorb light and use it to drive a variety of chemical reactions.

The new type of catalyst, known as a biohybrid photocatalyst, contains a light-harvesting protein that absorbs light and transfers the energy to a metal-containing catalyst. This catalyst then uses the energy to perform reactions that could be useful for synthesizing pharmaceuticals or converting waste products into biofuels or other