"Artificial photosynthesis" refers to a scientific process that mimics how plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into energy. It aims to develop man-made methods to produce clean and sustainable fuels, like hydrogen or methane, using solar energy.
Full definition
With artificial photosynthesis, scientists can make hydrogen under sunny skies to store energy, then turn it back into water when they need the energy back.
«You want to make something that is like gasoline with similar properties but in a renewable fashion — that's
what artificial photosynthesis will do,» he said.
The team also incorporated a battery in the prototype device to attain stable and continuous production of ethylene, a key challenge in
artificial photosynthesis systems.
In artificial photosynthesis systems chromophores, or «photosensitizers,» absorb light energy and transfer electrons to the catalyst, which activates the chemical reaction.
Ensia reports that Daniel Nocera... at Harvard University, as well as scores of other researchers around the world, are on the verge of turning the promise of
artificial photosynthesis into reality.
Observing the dynamics behind these interactions is critical to understanding key biological processes, such as protein crystallization and metabolism, and could help accelerate the development of important new technologies, such
as artificial photosynthesis or high - efficiency photovoltaic cells.
Berkeley Lab researchers are using M. thermoacetica to perform photosynthesis — despite being non-photosynthetic — and also to synthesize semiconductor nanoparticles in a
hybrid artificial photosynthesis system for converting sunlight into valuable chemical products.
«Solar - to - fuel system recycles CO2 to make ethanol and ethylene: Efficient, light - powered production of fuel
via artificial photosynthesis.»
By combining biocompatible light - capturing nanowire arrays with select bacterial populations, a potentially game - changing
new artificial photosynthesis system offers a win / win situation for the environment: solar - powered green chemistry using sequestered carbon dioxide.
JCAP is currently seeking additional funds to solve a key related challenge: How to transform hydrogen gas produced
by artificial photosynthesis into a more useful fuel.
This test - bed system has already been used to study schemes for photovoltaic electrolysis of water, and can be readily adapted to study
proposed artificial photosynthesis and fuel cell technologies.
With consumption growing, oil supplies tight, and the world in a warming trend, the search is on for better energy sources — clean coal, safe nuclear reactors, and more far - reaching ideas
like artificial photosynthesis.
A: The idea stems
from artificial photosynthesis: Whereas nature has been able to take light, CO2, and water and create food, we're looking at ways of engineering devices to take CO2, renewable energy, and water, and reduce that into more value - added products.
And the problem of
artificial photosynthesis seemed like something substantial to throw himself into — challenging enough «so [I] wouldn't be jobless in 10 or 15 years,» he jokes.
The team's
first artificial photosynthesis device appeared in 2015 — pumping out 216 milligrams of alcohol fuel per liter of water — but the nickel - molybdenum - zinc catalyst that made its water - splitting chemistry possible had the unfortunate side effect of poisoning the microbes.
And JCAP was arguably the hub closest to Chu's heart: He had strongly promoted research into
artificial photosynthesis during his tenure as director of Berkeley Lab, from 2004 to 2008.
The invention marks a significant milestone in the realisation of a
scalable artificial photosynthesis system for clean and sustainable production of important organic molecules like ethylene.
Tags artificial photosynthesis California Institute of Technology Caltech DOE Energy Innovation Hub Energy Department featured fuel production funding govcon JCAP Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Lynn Orr SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory solar energy UC Irvine UC San Diego
Abstract: Widespread use of
artificial photosynthesis hinges upon development of photocatalysts and light absorbers with excellent electrochemical stability in aqueous solution.
Scientists from Forschungszentrum Juelich have successfully created the first complete and
compact artificial photosynthesis facility that could be used in practical applications outside the lab.
And the US Department of Energy has created a
dedicated artificial photosynthesis research hub that includes simultaneous research, engineering and product development in order to accelerate the process.
One is
called artificial photosynthesis, where a manmade device — sometimes called an artificial leaf — carries out all the steps of capturing and channelling sunlight to produce the fuel.
Phrases with «artificial photosynthesis»