A new visible light-driven, external mediator-free, and highly efficient H2 production system is developed based on the combination of a photosensitizer and a living whole-cell biocatalyst: genetically engineered Escherichia coli.
Inspired by nature, a Cu(i)–cysteine complex serving as an oxidation co-catalyst to consume photo-induced holes has been developed for highly efficient visible light-driven photocatalytic H2 production.