Scientists take a step forward to turn sunlight into fuel

Scientists at the University of Cambridge develop a breakthrough in solar energy using photosynthesis

It is the first model that successfully uses the hydrogenase and the photosystem for the semi-artificial photosynthesis process, triggered only by sunlight.

How is this research different from artificial photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants transform sunlight into an energetic form.

If scientists could find out how to recreate the process by which plants convert climate-warming carbon dioxide into clean energy, we could develop theoretically unlimited clean energy, not only for the inhabitants of the planet, but also for those who live needs clean air and energy to explore and develop liveable structures in the space.

In itself, artificial photosynthesis for science is not new – it was opened in the last century, but its use and separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen require expensive and highly toxic catalysts. .

The researchers used semi-artificial photosynthesis to produce and store solar energy.

The researchers discovered a more efficient way to capture solar energy and divide water into hydrogen and oxygen.

A new way of capturing the power of the sun and successfully dividing water into hydrogen and oxygen by changing the way plants conduct photosynthesis has been invented by scientists. This type exploits the capabilities of pure enzymes and combines them with human-created skills to overcome the obstacles associated with purely human photosynthesis. "The conversion of solar energy to create fuels and renewable chemicals is a mandatory strategy to power our society in a post-fossil generation," Reisner told Newsweek.

The method of producing hydrogen at solar energy uses a key enzyme found in algae.

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"Natural photosynthesis is not effective because it has simply evolved to survive, making the minimum energy needed – about one to two percent of what it could potentially convert and store" said Katarzyna Sokół. St John's College.

She explained: "Hydrogenase is an enzyme found in algae, capable of reducing protons to hydrogen". "This could be an excellent platform to develop solar technologies."

"During the evolution, this process was disabled because it was not necessary to survive, but we managed to bypass the inactivity to get the reaction we wanted – divide it. water in hydrogen and oxygen ".

Katarzyna Sokol With the researchers, the work overcomes many delicate challenges related to the integration of biological and natural components in inorganic materials "and thus expands the toolbox for future energy conversion programs." The approach remains to be tested and still remains too fragile to be dilapidated in actual applications in its recent ".