HIDDEN detail in the natural world could hold the key to future sources of clean energy. So say materials scientists who have created an artificial leaf that can harness light to split water and generate hydrogen.
Plant leaves have evolved over millions of years to catch the energy in the sun's rays very efficiently. They use the energy to produce food, and the central step in the process involves splitting water molecules and creating hydrogen ions.
By mimicking the machinery plants use to do this, it is possible to create a miniature hydrogen factory, says Tongxiang Fan of The State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. "Using sunlight to split water molecules and form hydrogen fuel is one of the most promising tactics for kicking our carbon habit," he says.
The idea is not new, but until now researchers have focused on ...
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