The researchers said that the new system will greatly promote the development of solar technology. Image source: Cambridge University official website
According to a report on the official website of the University of Cambridge in the UK on the 3rd, researchers at the school used semi-artificial photosynthesis to explore new methods of producing and storing solar energy: using sunlight, enzymes and artificial technology to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen. This unassisted solar-driven water splitting technology can be used to revolutionize renewable energy production systems.
Photosynthesis is the process that plants use to convert sunlight into energy. When water absorbed by plants breaks down, oxygen is produced as a by-product. Photosynthesis is one of the most important reactions on earth, because it is the source of almost all oxygen in the world, and the hydrogen produced is both environmentally friendly and infinitely available.
The first author of the research paper and the PhD student of St. John ’s College, Katacina Sock, said: “Compared with natural photosynthesis, the new method absorbs more sunlight. Natural photosynthesis is not efficient because it evolves only for survival Only the minimum energy required to meet the requirements can be produced, and its conversion and storage potential only reaches 1% -2%. "
Artificial photosynthesis has existed for decades, but it has not been successfully used to produce renewable energy because it requires the use of catalysts, which are generally expensive and toxic, and therefore cannot be used in industrial production. The new research is part of the emerging field of semi-artificial photosynthesis, which aims to generate the required reactions through enzymes and overcome the limitations of full artificial photosynthesis.
In the new research, the Sauk team not only increased the energy generated and stored by artificial photosynthesis, but also reactivated a biochemical reaction process that has been dormant in algae for thousands of years.
Sauk explained: "The hydrogenase present in the algae can reduce protons to hydrogen. Since it is not necessary for survival, this process has been disabled during evolution, but we successfully activated this process."
Owen Lesner, one of the authors of the paper and director of the Lesner Laboratory, described the study as a "milestone." He said: "Integrating biological and organic components into inorganic materials and assembling semi-artificial devices have opened up new ways for the future development of new solar energy conversion systems. This research has overcome many of the problems associated with them."
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