Artificial Leaf Could Be More Efficient Than the Real Thing

[Aurora]

Wired Science - 28/03/11

Speaking at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in California, MIT professor Daniel Nocera claims to have created an artificial leaf made from stable and inexpensive materials that mimics nature’s photosynthesis process.

The device is an advanced solar cell, no bigger than a typical playing card, which is left floating in a pool of water. Then, much like a natural leaf, it uses sunlight to split the water into its two core components, oxygen and hydrogen, which are stored in a fuel cell to be used when producing electricity.

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[kenneal - lagger]

But can it be manufactured from water soluble chemicals at room temperature and pressure? No! When they can do that, it will really be news and more efficient than nature.

This thing needs water to work. In many places in the world where this will be of most use there is a water shortage. If you haven't got enough water to drink, you're not going to be bothered too much whether you have electricity or not.

[RenewableCandy]

What's more, it doesn't reproduce itself, and I can't make soup out of it afterwards.

[Aurora]

Trust you guys to find the problems.

[kenneal - lagger]

Only trying to be helpful!

[RenewableCandy]

To be fair, I think you get to re-use the water, so it doesn't get "used up" and no more has to be found once you've got your initial helping.

If it could pull that stunt with saltwater, that'd be particularly useful.