Projects

Aim of the project is the development of new composite-catalysts for the bioproduction of 2,3-Butanediol from organic substrates such as glycerol and lignocellulose. The novel composite-catalysts are based the electrical interaction between a fermenting microorganism and a specifically designed electrode material. The electrode accepts electrons from the microorganism’s respiratory metabolism, and by adjusting the potential of the electrode the intracellular redox-equilibrium can be controlled. In contrast to established approaches, this enables anaerobic fermentation processes in which the fermentation end products are more oxidized than the original substrate. So far, this has been limiting the efficient bioproduction of a larger variety of platform chemicals.