N,S-doped carbon dots as dual-functional modifiers to boost bio-electricity generation of individually-modified bacterial cells

Abstract A high-efficiency extracellular electron transfer (EET) of exoelectrogens from the inside of the outer membrane to the external environment is of great importance in the bioelectrochemical energy research. In this regard, developing functional modifiers for individual bacteria, meanwhile integrating efficient light-enhanced energy conversion process possess huge potential to achieve excellent EET. Herein, a practical strategy of modifying individual bacteria by using photo-responsive N, S-doped carbon dots (m-NSCDs) is proposed. This suggested that the m-NSCDs can act as dual-functional modifiers which not only afford enhanced conductivity of bacteria, but also serve as photosensitizers to achieve light-enhanced catalytic process. Specifically, this novel design enables the simultaneous utilization of light- and electrochemical-energy, eventually yielding a superior power output performance.