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Artificial Leaf Could Provide Cheap Energy

Posted by Soulskill on from the make-like-a-tree-and-catalyze-the-electrolysis-of-water dept.

sciencehabit was one of several readers to tip news of a sunlight-harvesting artificial leaf, writing: "Nearly all the energy we use on this planet starts out as sunlight that plants use to knit chemical bonds. Now, for the first time, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a potentially cheap, practical artificial leaf that does much the same thing—providing a vast source of energy that's easy to tap. The new device is a silicon wafer about the shape and size of a playing card coated on either side with two different catalysts. The silicon absorbs sunlight and passes that energy to the catalysts to split water into molecules of hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is a fuel that can be either burned or used in a fuel cell to create electricity, reforming water in either case. This means that in theory, anyone with access to water can use it to create a cheap, clean, and available source of fuel."

2 of 326 comments (clear)

  1. Vaporware by GabriellaKat · · Score: 5, Funny

    At last, true vaporware!

    --
    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your politician, and hitting them?"
  2. Benefit to Georgia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Plus as some one who lives in Georgia I can tell you that is is hot! A solar shade for the state might work well!